


Fucked Up Former First Kids

by Chaneladdict



Category: Agent Carter AU - Fandom, Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Captain America AU - Fandom, Conviction (TV 2016), Conviction AU - Fandom, Political Animals
Genre: AU, Captain America AU, Conviction AU, F/M, M/M, Other, Political Animals AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2018-08-29 05:44:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8477545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaneladdict/pseuds/Chaneladdict
Summary: Being America's First Family is a pressure few know the realities of. Being a First Daughter or a First Son even more so, because you didn't sign up for it but it's your life, under the microscope anyway. It's how former First Daughter Hayes Morrison and former First Son TJ Hammond bond, through the years, through the fuck ups. Before they meet another of America's firsts. Its first superhero.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> What happens when American's fucked up former First Kids meets American's First Super Soldier? What happens when Steve Rogers is tired of the fight, tired of the judgement, tired of people knowing only Cap and never him? What happens when he realises he has a crush on not just one of his new friends, but both of them?
> 
> Highjinx that's what.
> 
> (Based off my need to create this ot3 in all contexts lol) Come say hi I'm on tumblr Chaneladdict!

“If you break his heart, I’ll break your neck,” he said with a smirk, handing her the drink. She just rolled her eyes before taking a sip.  “That’s what you said to me, first time we met. So don’t tell me you are a _bad_ sister okay? You … just show you care differently that he does.”

“You mean by being there, showing up, being the dutiful son and _actually_ giving a shit?” She sighed.

“Hey, we all know the verses to that song, H.”

She just rolled her eyes again.

“I just can’t believe he kicked me out…. I mean I can… I just …” a sip turned in to a gulp. “Sorry I just showed up.”

“No you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.” She smiled then as he nudged her with his sock covered feet.

“Besides, what else would I be doing on a Wednesday night?”

“Hmm, half of upper Manhattan … _usually_ ,” She bit and he kicked her harder.

“Bitch.”

“Are you looking in a mirror again?” She guffawed.

The very first time they had met was a dinner, at The White House she was a very precocious thirteen year old, her father was heading in to his second year of his first term, and the visiting former presidents were having a _thing_. A thing freshly turned sixteen year old and annoyed at life TJ was required to attend as well.  The kids, as was always the case, were trotted out for a photo call, and then left to their own devices. Hayes had recalled how her sweet and shy big brother had the attentions of the much more rebellious First Son.

She remembered marching up to him when they were alone, poking him in the chest and all but threatening him.

He had laughed at her then, and it may be earned him a kick in the shins.

“I was never interested in your brother like that, you know?”

She just shrugged.

“Hey as far as I knew you were _gay_ –“

“As far as I knew I was too,” he chuckled. “But then you came along and well, curiosity and all that.”

“Yes, because I was the _only_ woman you had sex with, mmhmm,” she sassed making him laugh. “Do women actually buy the bullshit you sell them?

“Alright, I admit, you weren’t.”

She motioned as if to say ‘thank you, of course.’ Before he continued.

“But it was just conversation with your brother, he wanted to know how I did it, coming out in that house… you know that right?”

“Now, yes, of course you were too young for him anyway.”

“Even though he had a massive crush on me –“

“For like five minutes, then his affections wandered to Roman,”

“Ah, Roman,” TJ smiled a member of White House staff and utterly fucking stunning. “Wasn’t he a little young to be crushing on Roman?” The guy was at least thirty then, Hayes’ brother was a year older than TJ!

“Listen old man, harmless crushes were all we had in that damn house, it wasn’t as if any boys were allowed to come … play.”

“Well, one boy played.” he winked, and sure he did, they were two years apart and met up a handful of times in the two years since they’d met as annoyed teenagers. By the time Hayes was almost seventeen, she was fully opinionated, at war with her parents, and crawling the walls with boredom because of the Secret Service.

When the obviously gay and thus harmless former first son wanted to hang out with her, in her room, her security detail didn’t bat an eyelid, after all, he couldn’t possibly be interested in her like that, right?

_Very wrong._

Hayes smiled at the memory.

“Well, what if I want to be taken?” the advantage was always an even playing field with them; they were always honest with each other, a privilege not many got from either of them.

“You literally _just_ said –“

“I know what I said, but I figured it’s been so long for you that maybe you don’t remember how to touch a woman, and frankly I haven’t got the patience  to –“

He nudged her there, laughing, and she struggled to keep her face straight before he moved, putting down his drink, taking hers from her hands and leaving it on the table too. Shifting slightly in a second he had her leaning back before he straddled her where she said.

She let out a huff of a laugh, at just how quickly the air charged and changed between them. He had her face cupped in his hands softly, his knees on either side of her legs, pinning her to the couch before he leaned in slowly, and just as slowly, kissed her – deep and dirty like always.

Before he pulled back with a smile.

“Might have been a while, but I always know how to touch you.”

“Prove it then,” she smiled dancing her fingers up his t-shirt, up his spine and making him shiver like she expected. Because he might remember how to touch her, but she definitely remembered how to touch him.

            ************************************

The next morning sitting in his brightly lit Manhattan kitchen, she sighed unhappily at her phone, before he took it from her, replacing it with much needed coffee; she thanked him with a smile.

“I’m just so sick of putting on a brave face, _taking it like a champ_ , you know?” She quoted her father, and instantly hated herself.

He nodded, of course he knew, he knew in such a unique way, it was one of the things that bonded them so closely.

“Fuck ‘em, you know that’s the motto.”

“Yes, just not _literally_.” She added, before he held his hands up innocently.

“That my dear was Dougie, not me, for once.”

She smirked, it had shocked her to found out that perfect Douglas had broken ranks and shagged a member of the press, I mean of either of those men to do so, her money – and everyone else, was on TJ.

Those Hammond boys were just full of surprises.

“I say we do what we do best,” he offered, as the toaster popped their bread.

“Besides blowjobs what would that be, hmm?”

Laughing at her, he produced a gold laced invite, one she recognised.

“I say we ruffle some feathers!” his eyes widened with mischief and she couldn’t help but agree.

It was how she ended up in the back of a limo with his lips on her neck, in one of the skimpiest floor length gowns she owned, an emerald green strapless floor length something or other that she knew her mother would never approve of.

Hence its debut.

“You need to _behave_ yourself,” she all but moaned, because really, he was sin personified.

She felt his smile, “But it’s hard…”

“The situation or you?” she cocked a brow at him as he pulled away, as the car came to a slow stop. He merely quirked his lips.

“Probably both,” With a wink he was out of the car, and she waited until he rounded to open for her, always the inappropriate gentleman.

Making their entrance and making a scene were two things they excelled at, and they ensured tomorrow’s headlines without even saying a word. If her brother was going to be mad at her for messing up – again – she might as well go the whole hog. At least with TJ’s mother about to announce her second run for President, her mother couldn’t be that angry at her company considering it probably benefited her in some roundabout messed up Washington circle jerk.

Inside they did a lap, and tolerated the looks, the stares and the false airs and graces, the good to see you lies, the firm handshakes and dead eyes. And, the champagne that tasted like death. It was a game that had gotten old for them when they were still teenagers respectively, now it was just a chore.

Then she spotted him. And nudged TJ in the arm to look where she was looking, and the sight he saw was a sad one. A very hot, very awkwardly sad sight.

“Oh no look at him that’s just … cruel.” She mentioned in a whisper, “whose idea was to bring him, alone, and just leave him standing there like a …”

“National icon?”

“Well, yes. Oh, TJ.” Her voice he knew was genuine, they both knew better than anyone what it was like to be owned, to be trotted out and stuffed in a suit or a dress that pinched, and to be ignored as soon as the flashbulbs stopped.

Steve Rogers – Captain America himself – was standing maybe twenty feet from them, all along and looking every inch of that loneliness.  He was pulling at his suit jacket – the neck was bugging him, moving his feet – in such a way TJ knew he’d been standing there so long his toes were starting to pinch too, and he was nursing a very flat looking glass of champagne, avoiding eye contact with those brave enough to make it.

“His muscles are practically crying; we have to help him.” She whispered again, this time making him laugh.

“And what do you suggest we do?”

“Be nice, say hello, something other than stare at him like he’s a … you _know_ how that feels!”

Yeah, he did. So he nodded and they made their way over to him.

“He is just your type too –“she whispered and he just nudged her.

“ _Shh_. He has super hearing.” He bit back.

“So? You know you’re going to flirt with him within five min –“

“Hi.” TJ began, sticking out his hand to the just a hair taller, blonde Adonis in front of them. “I’m TJ Hammond, this is Hayes Morrison.” Cap – Steve seemed startled that people were actually talking to him and TJ knew that Hayes’ heart was practically bleeding out at his little face.

_It was a good face._

She was right, Steve was just his type – in guys TJ always went for tall blondes, in women for some reason it was short brunettes. He had a type in both sexes, and rarely strayed. But this guy was something else. He was literally a super soldier, they all knew the story, and of how he had been found by a miracle less than a year before.

“Oh um, hi I’m Steve … Steve Rogers.” He added, shaking TJ’s hand, and then gently shaking Hayes’ with a slight blush, as he accidentally looked at her cleavage before he swiftly looked away.

“We know,” Hayes blurted out, smiling. “We also know what it’s like for everyone in every room to know who we are but never actually talk to us, so, we decided to rectify that situation with you. We hope you don’t mind?”

Steve smiled, wonky and unsure.

“Morrison and …Hammond … as in Pres –“

“ _Yes_.” Hayes and TJ answered in unison, and it made Steve laugh for real then, the pink in his cheeks coming back and oh, no, it was cute, TJ thought.

“Oh, well in that case I um, it –“ his hand went to the back of his neck, and TJ was left wondering just how he was trying to reconcile the leaders of the free world he died to keep free being two of the most scandal hit Presidents since before World War Two.

“Look, to be frank, our father’s couldn’t keep it in their pants, political scandals– plus some questionable choices regarding the Middle East ensured that our childhoods were less than conventional, and yet can you guess which the people decided to crucify?” she smiled, “So, we know what it’s like to have America on your back, _thinking_ they know everything about you, but never actually _asking_ a proper question. Like, tonight, I’m sure you were trotted out and stuffed in that ill-fitting last season Armani and told to smile, and you did, and they lapped it up… until the cameras stopped rolling and then you suddenly found yourself alone in a room full of people – all staring of course – but no one _daring_ to even attempt to get to know you – like _hey_ Steve, what’s your new favourite food? Seen any movies lately? You missed like seventy years, here’s some recommendations, don’t eat tacos’ from the downtown taco guy, oh and this champagne tastes like expensive piss.”

TJ’s eyes widened.

“Hi, this is Hayes, she’s really blunt and passionate about things and sadly, sometimes, has zero brain filter with complete and utter _strangers_ … we’ll be going now…” he attempted to yank her away softly, but Steve – laughed.

He laughed so big and loud it garnered the attentions of the room.

It was a beautiful thing to witness.

“Jesus Christ, kid, that’s the most honest anyone’s has been to my face since I went under.” his face was full of life now, his eyes bright as he looked at Hayes, then to TJ, and in an instant TJ was in love with that smile.

“Good, I’m glad, far be it for me to pretend to be otherwise, it’s so exhausting.” she looked around the room, “they all must be dead on their feet from faking it,” she smiled, and then cocked a brow at TJ before focusing her attentions back at Steve.

“TJ and I know a bar, a block from here - they don’t serve expensive chilled piss,” he laughed again, and it stuck TJ how much of a potty-mouth this guy must have had and it was dying to get out. TJ wondered if people treated him like a little old dude from the 40’s, in a way in which they thought people from then acted. He’d have to ask Steve that some time, but as it stood, he was witnessing Hayes asking out a National Icon, and the beautiful man struggling to say no.

TJ knew that feeling.

“But it would take the number of eyes in the room on you down to just ours… if you’d like that, that is.”

For a second he looked flustered, then, looking up and at the room that was looking back at them he nodded.

“Yes, please. Get me out of here.”

Hayes grinned then, back at TJ.

“Our pleasure.”

 

* * *

 

AN: Feel free to reblog the tumblr post [here](http://chaneladdict.tumblr.com/post/152748841687)! & [Masterlist](http://chaneladdict.tumblr.com/post/157376306657)


	2. Chapter 2

Walking the block and half in six inch heels wasn’t the smartest idea she’d ever had, but linking herself between TJ and Steve was up there. Sure she was brash at times, and maybe had little to no regard for personal space, but neither TJ – he was used to it – nor Steve – (he blushed but held on to her like a gent) seemed to mind. Three shots, and two whiskeys’ later, they were well settled in to the little hole in the wall, run by a chick named Destiny – Hayes knew her as she’d once been her council and bailed her out, she knew TJ separately, though she never got the full story as to how they met. Either way, she waved them to a booth near the back, it was just dark enough that a woman in a ball gown surrounded by two guys in tuxedos didn’t stand out. She had kicked off her heels, sitting with her feet in TJ’s lap as they all chatted.

Turns out, Steve new favourite food was his old favourite food. New York pizza.

“Lest it’s still out there for a dollar, everything else is just …” his eyes widened. “When I tried to rent in Brooklyn without SHIELD I swear I almost had an asthma attack, even though that’s medically impossible.” He sighed. “This is much nicer than the chilled piss,” he added holding up his whiskey, the top shelf shit, older than he was physically or numerically. She smiled. TJ – who had been quieter than his usual self, and the more reserved of the two thus far smiled too. Hayes knew why of course. Steve – Captain America had been somewhat of a crush slash hero of his as a boy, learning all about history in that house. His story was one of the more romanticised ones, a true immigrant’s son, against all odds, fought his way to help people, to do what was right, to save as many people as he could – risking his own life every time. In the end, even giving his life.

Plus, he was really fucking cute, and as they both knew America loved nothing more than a poster child that looked the part.

A few drinks in though and he was his usual charming, flirtatious self, subtler than she expected, but she realised hitting Steve with so much of ‘them’ so soon might have scared him off. It had scared off weaker people, she recalled.

Hayes had no idea what her intention was in inviting Steve out, other than to save him and them from the droll sameness of those parties. She took pity on him standing there alone, she knew how that felt and never wanted anyone – including sweethearts like him – to feel that isolated zoo animal feeling. But as it turns out, Steve Rogers was a bit of a shit.

_And she loved it._

“They think I can’t work a cell phone, they think,” he took another sip smiling, “that I don’t understand the internet or laptops or anything that isn’t a book or a record player.” He smirked. “It’s great, I push it as much as I can before I can almost see Stark’s patience run out. It gets me out meetings with techies, it almost makes them think that I don’t know they have my apartment bugged.” He sighed then, and god her chest ached.

“No…?” TJ all but gasped.

“Yeah,” he continued,” I mean they got this cute SHIELD Agent to watch me from across the hall – she’s cute as hell – blonde, sweet, pretending to be a nurse – I figure some miss guided notion that I’d trust her easier if she did the same job as my Ma…” he shook his head. “I think they think that when I hit the ice that it knocked out every brain cell I ever had… I wasn’t an idiot before the serum, I was a sick kid, I read more than was probably normal.” He smiled again, “I don’t know,” he shrugged, “It’s fun for the most part, fuckin’ with them, but it does get tiring.”

“That… I mean… that’s fucked up.” TJ confessed.

“Little bit yeah.” Steve’s hand went to the back of his neck then, “I don’t know why I just told you both all that.”

“We’re amazing at getting people’s stories… you’re probably the same.” TJ added.

“…actually…” Steve realised.

“It happens when you’re ‘famous’” TJ finger quoted, “People think they know you, and thus trust you… it’s weird but also nice.”

“By _nice_ he means helps him get laid easier – “Hayes interjected with a smirk, egging him on.

“Not that it’s a challenge, Sweetheart.” He winked squeezing her foot.

“Isn’t it _always_ a challenge for _you_ though…” She bit back glancing to his crotch with a raised brow, it made Steve laugh. “Not that that’s _any_ of my business.” She sassed, taking a sip of his whiskey.

“You see what I have to put up with?” TJ asked Steve who was just blushing slightly, eyes light and bright, smiling.

“You’re a sweet couple…”

Both TJ and Hayes eyed each other then, unable to hold in their laughter.

“What? What did I say?”

“We’re … we’re not really _together_.” Hayes confessed.

Steve gave his best confused face, Hayes found herself charmed.

“I mean we have _been_ together … a lot…” a tipsy TJ added, “Twice this afternoon for example.”

That earned him a soft kick in the balls.

“Dude!” she scowled, but he just smiled.

“What he’s trying to say is we’re not a couple-couple… we … see each other … occasionally.”

“You … seem like a couple?” Still with the confused face, he looked between both of them.

“Yeah a couple of idiots.” TJ added signalling for another round. Steve just shook his head at this nonsense.

“Okay so there are some things about this century that confuse me, guess relationships are always gonna be one of those things.” Steve admitted as their waitress came over with more drinks, a wink in Steve’s direction which Hayes noted it took him a second to note was intended for him.

“Are you dating anyone Steve?” Bold, but they were on the topic.

“I have since I … but it’s hard – “

TJ went to speak and Hayes put her hand over his mouth, knowing exactly what pun he was going to use. And no.

“My co-worker… my friend, I think she’s my friend, she keeps trying to set me up and I just … it’s a struggle.”

They both nodded.

“So if you’re both not dating each other … what … I mean what?” he asked adorable in his scrunched up face of confusion.

“We’re friends… with um … not to be a cliché but to be a cliché, with benefits.”

“Nat suggested I find one of those,” Steve confessed.

“I think Nat was offering _herself_ as one of those.” Hayes added and Steve’s eyes bugged.

“God no she … she doesn’t look at me like _that_.”

“Sweetie, I hate to break it to you, but everyone with eyes _probably_ looks at you like that.”

TJ nodded then caught himself, Hayes wanted to laugh the boy that never really denied himself anything when it came to hedonistic tendencies was being a shy little flower around Steve. It was adorable.

“I can’t think like that.”

“Because it’s not in your nature, you’re too self-deprecating, it’s sweet and rare in a man that looks like you and talks like you …” Hayes admitted because it was true.

Another round later and they were all done for. They had discovered Steve’s love for trying all the new coffee’s of the world, wanting to dip his toes back in to art though lacking the inspiration, and their shared mutual love for anything with Tom Hanks. But, chatted out they headed out in to the night.Hayes was ready to hit the hay, a phrase TJ kept laughing at because he was a punny drunk, Steve – still sober as anything still found them amusing as hell, and as they packed in to a cab at three am, she realised she was wearing his jacket, and TJ was holding her dress.

“You’re both so _pretty_. Why are you so – Jesus, look at your eyelashes!” she pointed out to Steve, looking to TJ, “yours too why do boys get such pretty fucking… oh hey a penny!” she reached down to pick it up and TJ reached over and took it off her, because ew no.

By the time they got all the way to Brooklyn to drop Steve off - something that had almost resulted in an argument, before TJ had settled it all with a stern but oddly endearing comment.

“You’re so busy taking care of everyone else, let us take care of you.”

Of course as soon as it exited his mouth he regretted it because damn, his crush was showing, and of course none of them knew just how true to life it was or it would be for them going forward.

Steve gave in, and they dropped him off to a very old, very lonely looking building in Red Hook. Hayes pouted as he left with a smile and a thanks, and without his jacket, before resting her head on TJ’s shoulder.

“He’s so nice, and it’s not fake nice either…”

“Shocking right?”

“Hmm not really.” She admitted and TJ agree, “it’s shocking that it’s not shocking.”

“True.”

“I like him.” She admitted, snuggling in to TJ as he pulled her closer.

“Me too, he’s a good guy – “

“And he’s really fucking pretty.” She all but whined in to his shoulder, and she felt his laughter.

“Yeah, he’s really fucking pretty.”

“We should _go to there_ …” Hayes added half asleep now. TJ just laughed.

“Whatever you say, H…” He found it funny, but a part of him really, really wanted to take her up on that offer.

Maybe, in a perfect would they could. As it stood, they’d made a new friend and that for now, would have to be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: If you like this come say hi! Should I keep this going? Yay / Nay?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TJ's boyhood crush comes back to haunt him full force. Hayes plays dress up with Steve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Yes this is still on going, I promise! Big thank you for the long on this here and on tumblr it means so much! So if you're reading and want to chat about these fools hit me up! Reviews are love! <3

She was out of the apartment, looking for her own – a task she had put off for more than a week. New York real estate was a fucking nightmare, and even more so when security was a factor. She had met with her agent, spent an hour on the phone, and viewed two apartments before giving up and getting the hell out of there. TJ was in a meeting, so she was at a loose end. She decided to chance her arm and be cheeky.

“On a scale of one to ten, one being you are _luxuriating_ in a bubble bath, _ten_ being you’re off avenging our world against some form of alien nonsense – _again_ – how busy are you right now?”

She heard the laugh on the other end of the line. It made her smile.

“I’m not in a bubble bath, pity it sounds nice right now, but I’m not avenging either… I’m …” he sounded flustered. “Shopping, apparently.”

She grinned.

“Where?”

“Uh …” he sounded flustered before he rattled off his address of the store he was currently in. She realised she was two subway stops away, and told him as much.

“I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Ha. Luckily for you, I do. Hold tight.”

Two stops and a  half a block later she walked into a large men’s clothing store, it took her a second to spot him and when she did he was looking con-flustered at two shirts – both hideous.

“Well no, both of those are disgusting and won’t do at all.” She added noting the sales girls noticing her, as she swished off her coat and put down her purse, before grabbing a royal blue button up and a light grey one.

“These suit your colouring better, but if you’re fed up with a lot of blue,” she eyed him with a smirk, “due to uniform confinements, we can find you some nice cool tones in other shades.”

He smiled.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“I was going to call – “

“That’s what all the boys say,” she sing-songed, taking a seat on the bench as he stayed standing.

“No … no I was I just there was this thing…”

“Angry aliens?” she asked wide eyed and sarcastic, he just exhaled loudly looking sad – well, sadder.

“Something like that.”

“TJ hasn’t stop talking about you, it’s _super_ cute.” It actually was, he blushed and everything.

Just then Steve blushed and oh, that was interesting.

“He’s … really nice… I mean he’s a nice guy he –“

“He is.” She saved him, before inspecting the pile of clothes Steve had accumulated for trying on. Ninety percent was the wrong size.

“He wants to invite you to dinner but fears it would be _too forward_ . But then I said one, when are you _ever_ afraid of being too forward, and two, it’s his cooking which I can personally vouch is amazing.”

Steve smiled.

“A home cooked meal with company sounds nice actually.”

She nodded. She wanted to make it happen, romantically or sexually or even just friendship based it didn’t matter really in the long run, they both just liked Steve and liked that he was maybe someone to call a friend.

If one or both of them got to have sex with him then that was just a bonus, she thought.

Eying him up and down, and she could almost see him flinch, she touched his shoulder.

“Let’s fix this pile of whatever this mess is - “

“The girl suggested – “

“Yeah no the girl is _suggesting_ shit that’s ugly and overly expensive for what you need.” Hayes rolled her eyes, she understood they had a job, and commission and all the things, but was it any excuse to be a bitch to poor unsuspecting hotties? No. “Every day comfortable shit that can withstand  what amounts to a back alley fight or two?”

He smiled.

“Hm, we can mix and match some higher end pieces …but for the most part I feel like you might like my suggestion.”

“Oh?”

Her eyes lit up.

_Thrift Stores._

She was never allowed to shop in them as a girl, or a teen, or as a college student, her mother deemed it ‘unseemly’ for a First Daughter to wear what were she assumed ‘hand me downs from strangers’.

But secretly Hayes had a love for all things vintage – as it turns out, vintage men were also on that list now. She all but dragged Steve and his brand spanking new Ralph Lauren shirts, and two pairs of pants the six blocks to one of her favourite stores. There were no snooty sales girls, no anything except a musty smell, and potential.

“Everything is up for grabs, except underwear and shoes – unless those shoes are vintage designer and untarnished but that’s more for me than you – “she warned as she made a beeline for some early eighties Westwood’s. Instantly Steve made his way to the army-hardy-dude- looking shit, picking out two jackets – what she assumed was an army jacket in its time, but puffy and warm looking and another slim line blazer in dark rich navy. She nodded approvingly before setting off on an adventure to dress her superhero.

Fifteen minutes later he was attempting to fit himself and those shoulders into the tiny changing room, the threadbare curtain doing little to protect his modesty, and Hayes was a tiny bit ashamed of herself for spying on him like that, but, then a bigger part of herself recognised her inner pervert and just enjoyed the show.

“How’s it coming in there?”

“I think … I think they’re too tight.”

Hm, that was kind of the point. But coming from a man whose shirts were all a size too small it was a _tad_ rich.

“Give us a look then?”

Out he walked and it really showed her how strong she was that she didn’t tackle him to the ground there and then.

Because shit.

“I … oh Steve please love this, love it like I do!”

“There’s just …” he turned around and oh, yes.  “a lot of ass on show … I may as well be in my uniform.”

“I thought the tightness would be … comforting.” She bullshitted and he gave her a look like he knew she was too.

“Honestly if skinny straight legged ones aren’t your thing then please, continue. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable – literally or _figuratively_.” He twirled again, examining that ass…

“I mean it’s not bad right?”

“It’s a _good_ ass…” she smiled when he caught her eye in the mirror.

“If I said ‘you too’ would that be too forward?” he sassed and oh, fun Steve was coming out.

“Only if we get back in a time machine to when you were _born_ , maybe, but directed at me I’m just going to say thank you.”

He giggled and she was so fucking charmed she hated herself. Ordinarily she would have fucked him by now, really, and truly she was shocked neither she nor TJ made a move on him that first night. It was because of moments like this, the sweetheart-ed sarcastic bastard moments that caught her off guard. If he was just another pretty pecs and statistically pretty dick, then she’d be there and gone but it was more.

And she hated herself a little bit for falling down this rabbit hole.

He bought seven sweaters (no, really seven,) three more shirts, four more pairs of pants including a black and blue pair of the jeans she picked (mini win!) and a scarf. They hit two more stores, and one coffee shop where she rested her tired feet and he ate cake with his coffee.

“You sure you don’ want some? It’s great.” He offered, there was even a spare fork and everything. But, it was too intimate, for her, so she declined, instead focusing on her huge source of caffeine.

“I eat a lot, it’s kind of annoying.” He confessed.

“It’s expected though, I mean doesn’t your body defy science?”

“Little bit.”

“Just a touch.” She sipped and sat back, people watching from the window for a second. “Today was fun, unexpected fun.” She could think of a half a dozen more ‘fun’ things to do with him but none of them as wholesome as the day they’d had.

“I’m glad you called…. I really was going to call both of you – I had fun the other night and I wanted to thank you both for rescuing me from the hell that was that party.”

“We had fun too, I mean, once we got out of there… it can be stifling.”

He nodded in agreement, another forkful of cake making its way to him.

“They make me go to a lot of those things… I get why… I just -” he shrugged his fork poking at his food for a second before he put it down.

“I know what it’s like, to be treated like a prop, or what I  like to call - my childhood.” Hayes smirked catching his eye and he smiled.

“That fuckin’ sucks. Putting a kid through that... “

It was her turn then to shrug.

“We have a choice now, we didn’t before.” For the most part she had a choice though sometimes when mother called it was all about saving face - her face - now that she was running for Senate.

They finished up and Steve insisted on footing the bill, she’d allow it this time, but promised next time the treats were on her.

They stood on the sidewalk somewhat awkwardly, what happened now? The spontaneous day had been fun, but whatever happened next was still very up in the air.

“I really did enjoy today -”

“Me too,” she confirmed before hailing a cab that promptly ignored her. Sometimes she hated New York cabbies. Rolling her eyes she moved to kiss him on the cheek.

“I um,” he laughed, pulling out a little box from one of his many, many bags. “I got you a thing. As a thank you.”

At that she was taken aback.

“Steve -”

“Stupid? Old ...fashioned?” he asked awkwardly as he produced the little box. Handing it to her. “It’s earrings.” he blurted out before she could speak. It made her laugh.

“ _Steve_ -” she began, before opening them. They were a beautiful pair of diamond drop earrings, small but classic. “They’re beautiful… and completely unnecessary.” She moved then and hugged him, standing on her tippy does to do so, because shit, he was tall.

“Thank you…”

He bit his lip, a small blush colouring his cheeks. Before he side stepped and whistled through his fingers for a cab, and a second later she heard one screech to a halt.

“Handsome and handy to have around, I might just have to keep you around, Rogers.” She quipped, as he opened the cab door for her.

“You do that, Miss Morrison. I’d be fine with it.”

                        ******

“I’m so jealous.” he stated again, and she just rolled her eyes. Honestly it wasn’t as if she hadn’t spent the last thirty minutes on his dick, really, and ten before that with her mouth working him up so much it gave her a cramp. No, he was still bitching about her afternoon with Steve.

“I’m never fucking you again if you don’t _stop_.”

He looked to her then and his expression softened. Shuffling down in bed next to her so he was face to face, side by side, warm and lovely where he belonged.

“I’m sorry I am…. It’s just -”

“It’s _just_ you’ve had a crush on him since you knew what having crushes on boys were and he was the most crushable of all our historic figures -” well, if you didn’t count a young Rutherford B. Hayes, but that was neither here nor there. She patted his arm.

“You need to chill out, he’s been meaning to call you, his new friend, TJ Hammond.”

TJ just laughed.

“Well, I won’t hold my breath. I mean, he’s straight, I need to just you know…” he sighed, moving to snuggle her, she was letting him be the little spoon because he was acting like he needed a little coddling. “Get over it and move past it, and be a decent not starry eyed human being to this guy.”

“We don’t know if he’s straight -”

“Please.” He stated because as if?

“What? We don’t! Most people didn’t know a whole lot about Steve Rogers before beyond the stars and stripes, TJ.”

“Yeah, but I like him so of course he’s straight.”

That did make her laugh, TJ did kind of have a type, the poor guy. She petted his hair then, soothing both of them if she was honest.

“Well you never know until you spend time with him, maybe he’s curi -”

“No.”

He sighed.

“I won’t be anyone’s _experiment_ again, H.”

She hugged him closer at that. Yeah, she understood why too.

“Alright, well, assuming what we assume and completely ignoring the fact that he was flirting with you too that night,” she pinched him and he just giggled. “Whatever, he’s our friend.”

“Course he is.”   

                        ****

As their new friend, TJ waited and sure enough the next day Steve did call. He sounded busy, and sort of distracted, but pleasant and sweet too. Explaining that he had meant to call the same day as he’d seen Hayes but had been dragged out for a training session by his teammates and had promptly passed out afterward. The next morning had been full of meetings. He was currently taking a break from his morning jog. The rate at which he spoke made TJ smile, he was a speed talker too, and it was endearing as fuck to know that Steve Rogers and him had anything in common.

“Anyway, um, Hayes said something about dinner?”

“Oh!” TJ hit his head standing up too fast from where he was rummaging through his closet. The irony.

“I’m not being too forward am I? ‘Cause if I am just tell me to fuck off -”

They both laughed then.

“No, no I … yeah.” TJ rubbed his head. “I like to cook it’s ... “ part of his therapy, but don’t tell the hot guy that. “Fun. I usually host some pretty amazing dinner parties, but you … you should come over this week sometime if you’re free. I can do some steaks, if you eat -”

“I eat everything.” Steve answered and oh my GOD, it took everything in his brain not to go to the gutter then.

And he failed.

“That’s good to know.”

With a promise of dinner that Friday and a little more chit chat about life, and the city, and Hayes, TJ realised he hadn’t stopped smiling since he’d hung up, only noticing when he caught his stupid reflection in the mirror.

“I am so fucked.” he spoke to his face, before shaking his head and moving to call his brother.

                        ******

He had changed his shirt three times, he wasn’t entirely sure why. They were all blue.

He decided on a white one, just to fuck with expectation a little bit.

“Oh well, I guess I’ll just go to the library for the night, as usual. Love me some books.” he said to no one but to everyone listening at the same time. Before rolling his eyes at himself, grabbing his tan leather jacket and keys, and heading for the door.  Steve was pretty sure he wasn’t being followed when he left his apartment, but he took measures just in case.  He figured once that his SHIELD issued phone was probably bugged or being tracked too. He bought himself a new one shortly after discovering the other bugs, and now when people questioned why they never heard from him he just faked not knowing how to ‘turn the darn thing on’ and opps to leave it at home. The hilarious nods of expecting this he gets almost make him mad.

He took his bike from Brooklyn to the address TJ gave him and while he was nervous about whatever-this-whole-thing-was, he had made two new friends regardless, and he didn’t have many - or any - of those. At least ones that didn’t come with a SHIELD badge.

New York parking was a fight he often lost, so he ended up being ten minutes late.

Steve hated being late.

                    *****

“Dude no!”

“Dude, I have to.” She argued back, grabbing her evening bag. “I’ve been summoned by the mother ship - it’s an appearance - she _promises_ me an hour tops. I’ll be back here before the second course. It is my favourite after all.” She smiled, she could see his panic.

“Hayes, we … he thinks you’re going to be here too! If he shows up and it’s just me, he’ll think I lied!”

“You didn’t?! It’s last minute, if you explain _without_ yelling might I add - he should understand.” She touched his face, straightening out the frown until his face relaxed.

“Stop frowning or you’ll end up like your Uncle Mike.” Hayes moved into kiss him on the cheek. “I like the baby blue button up with the grey pants.”

He scowled.

“Just be your usual charming lovely adorable self and he’ll fall -”

His fingers went to her lips then. Oh, right, he was still on his ‘But Captain America isn’t anything other than ruler straight HAYES’ train. She fought a sigh. He of all people should know about assumptions. Plus her ‘not-straight-dar- was almost never wrong.

That one time with her female professor was really NOT her fault. She’d maintain that until her dying day.

“Fall into a deep and meaningful friendship with his new bro, then.” she countered before sauntering past him. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. My brother and I have just starting talking again, I don’t want to let him down right off the bat. You know?”

He did know, she knew he’d understand.

“Have fun and don’t burn dessert!”  

                        **********

Steve was amazed, not only by the size of TJ’s apartment - it was normal sized and not at all a grandiose political offspring dwelling - Sure it was huge by New York standards, a big kitchen for one thing down stairs and a large open plan living room on the main floor which led he assumed to where the bedrooms and bathroom was. But Steve realised had spent too much time with Tony Stark, as it was starting to fuck with his expectations.

At first it was a little awkward, TJ wasn’t as open or easy to talk to as Hayes had been, not as forward - which Steve also found strange because from all her stories he’s an absolute riot. But, with Steve he was shy, awkward, and a little reserved. Not like the night they were out and he had a few drinks, he was flirting with ease. At the dinner he was just … almost scared? By the time the second course was being plated Steve decided to exit his seat and follow his host to the kitchen. When he did, TJ jumped a little at the shock.

“Sorry did you … need … want another drink?”

“Nah, just wanted to give you a hand.”

He was stood there oven mitts on plating the food - which smelled fucking amazing.

“I’ve got it covered really, you should -”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Steve joked but then the other man’s face fell and he instantly regretted it.

“Shit, I am being really fuckin’ extra right now, aren’t it?” TJ asked, before sighing and putting down the pot down, taking the gloves off. “Dude, I’m sorry... I’m not usually so -” he waved his hands in a ‘I don't know’ motion.

“Do I make you nervous?” Steve asked, leaning his ass against the counter, folding his arms. TJ just shrugged.

“Most people don’t, I don’t give a shit what most people think  -”

“But you give a shit what I think?”

The other man looked at Steve then, before nodding softly.

“Why?”

“Because you’re _you_?” He smiled sweetly and it was adorable, and when had Steve begun to think of a grown ass man in such terms? “And as much as it fucking sucks that …. All most people see when they see you is the Cap persona? It’s... hard to forget.”

Oh, Steve suddenly understood. As much as people tried, sometimes it just wasn’t possible to see past the iconic history Steve Rogers had very little part of.

“Ah… I see.”

“But you - Steve - are funny and kind _and_ a sarcastic fuck.” TJ smiled, “And you’re great, so great... “

“You just can’t see past the Cap part enough to relax.”

Steve could see that he was trying, he wasn’t putting on a show or being fake, he was just confused. He figured he’d try and fix that bullshit as soon as possible, so he moved from where he stood before TJ had time to change the subject.

Something he hadn’t done since right after he woke up, he swallowed his fears and continued.

“Would this help you get past it at all?” he asked softly, before touching TJ’s face and leaning in to gently kiss him. There was a little gasp, but Steve pushed on.

The kiss was soft, sweet, if a little one sided for a second as Steve could feel the guy freeze up, but when TJ realised what was happening, and when Steve persisted, he very quickly got with the programme and kissed him back. TJ’s hands went to the buttons of Steve’s shirt, anything he could grab onto to pull him closer, trapping him between Steve’s thighs and the kitchen cabinet.

_It felt like heaven._

“That something Captain America would do?” Steve asked, his eyes still closed for a second as he realised they were both a little breathless.

TJ looked stunned for half a second before he smiled.

“Fuck no, and thank God for that.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post kissing decisions are made, and we tip our toes into the murky pool that is TJ and Hayes as teenagers ;)

Pulling back TJ opened his eyes to see Steve - Steve with his three-day-old scruff, his pink cheeks, and his goddamn luscious ridiculously dark kiss-bruised lips just standing there, smirking at him.

“So … you kissed me.” TJ asked, running his hand through his hair, his lips still tingling. Dear God.

“I did…” he smiled for real then, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. “Was it a good or bad idea?”

“Good?”

“Question or statement?”

TJ relaxed then, the twinkle in Steve’s eye putting him at ease. He really was little shit, despite his stature.

“Statement.” he said confidently, and Steve stepped back nodding.

“Good. Because you said... that you and Hayes …”

“No, it’s fine, she’d be _more_ than fine with it,” TJ laughed.

Steve let go of a breath in relief, “Right...Because you guys...Confuse me. “ Steve’s eyes widened comically making TJ smile. “ What’s next because I’m starving.” He added, eyeing up the food.

For a second TJ let all the dirty thoughts race right through his dirty brain, before he realised that Steve was nodding at the beeping oven.

“OH!” Right, go back in there and take a seat…. you’re very distracting.” He added waving his hand at Steve’s whole face. Making Steve laugh again, before he reached for another bottle of wine and holding it up, TJ nodded in approval.

Once everything was finally on the plates, TJ found he had little appetite for anything food related at all.

                        ***********

“And I don’t know, up until that point because of my shitty health problems, the idea of jumping out of a plane was the last thing I’d ever thought I’d do.”

“But you did, and you saved all those guys.”

Steve shrugged.

“Personal question.” TJ stated, taking a sip of his wine. Steve nodded. “When did you figure out you weren’t exactly straight?”

Steve laughed softly into his glass at that.

“When I kissed my best friend ‘for practice’ when we were ten, and I maybe sorta not so subtly felt like I’d died and gone to heaven.”

TJ was endeared instantly.

“You?” Steve asked, as TJ watched the way his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed, and ho, boy.

“I um, there was a boy, his name was Jack. He was the son of the um… my dad’s chef. He spent a lot of time in The White House, and we were around the same age and … you know.”

Steve smiled.

“That’s sweet.”

TJ sat back taking a sip of his drink. “Not really, we carried on for a couple of years, until his dad caught us… his dad went to the press.”

Steve’s face dropped.

“How old were -”

“I was fourteen.”

Instantly Steve was outraged, sitting up straighter in his chair the tension in his neck all proved this to TJ.

“It’s fine really -”

“You were a KID!”

“Yeah… I mean… _yeah_.” TJ shrugged. He went on to explain what happened, and what happened afterward, how he had to come out essentially against his will, before he was ready, and how the majority of his father’s supporters were in fact supportive, the amount of hate mail and death threats TJ had gotten before he turned fifteen was more than any ten presidents had received in all their time in office.

“I’m sure you’ve read about how well I handled all that.” TJ attempted to brush off casually, before Steve sighed.

“I tried not to … let it form my opinions of you guys for me, but I did use the google.”

TJ smirked then, unsure if he was fucking with him for kicks or not. When he smiled he knew TJ knew he was.

“Jesus you’re _such_ a troll aren’t you?”

“I did live under the Brooklyn Bridge for a while… _Before_ it was cool.” Steve mused before they both laughed.

“Jesus Christ, Steve Rogers is a goddamn hipster.” TJ shook his head in laughter. “No wonder why Hayes adores you.”

“Where is she anyway, her mom can’t need her entire night surely..”

“Her mom is…” TJ blew a breath, “Overwhelming to say the least.”

“I’ve read about her mom too,” Steve eyes widened and with good reason. “They seemed to have an … interesting relationship.”

“To say the least.” TJ repeated, before finishing off his wine.

                **************

Hayes walked in just as Steve was making moves to head out  and she was a little drunk.

“Aw shit, I missed the whole thing?” she added, by the door, kicking off her heels before padding over to the dining room table and kissing Steve hello on the cheek, then moving to do the same to TJ. TJ noticed the slight pink in Steve’s cheeks when she pulled away too.

“I’m so sorry, my mother ran on and on and _on_ and so did the champagne.” she rolled her eyes before picking a strawberry off TJ’s plate. “What did I miss then? Didn’t I tell you, his cooking is as good as he looks?” she directed to Steve, who was just looking amused as you’d like at her whole way of being, that way she had of just lighting up a room just by being in it, TJ thought.

“It really is.” Steve agreed.

Smugly she nodded before petting TJ on the cheek in passing.

“I’m going to grab some of that cake, don’t leave until I come back huh?” Again, she directed at Steve without looking as she moved to head down to the kitchen. TJ had created plates for her, the hot food in the oven, the sweet plate in the fridge. He knew at those things, while there was food, no one hardly ate a thing - the waste was something that had always struck him as absurd -  and she was boozy, and more than likely starving.

When she came back into the living room, Steve was standing looking out the window at the iconic skyline. TJ was on the phone in the bedroom.

“His mom called, there was a sigh before he went to the next room.” Steve offered and Hayes laughed.

“Yeah, when your mother is the President of the United States and finds the time to call you, you take the call.”

“I kissed him tonight.” Steve confessed suddenly, looking to her, looking unsure.

She took in the skyline for a minute too.

“I’m sorry I missed that, I bet his face was a picture.” she smiled, and Steve thought it a little sad for just a fraction of a second. “He really likes you, he was convinced you were straight - “

“I’m... not.”

She touched his arm then and smiled.

“Honey, I know.”

“But -”

“Look, TJ and  I have a ...an unusual set up that much is obvious, no? I don’t mind if you want to be with him, really, he’s a peach, and a diamond, and I guess he’s a diamond shaped peach.” she joked, smiling.

“I … wasn’t being disingenuous with you, you know that right?” Steve was sweating. What was he doing?!

She nodded.

“Steve, are you bisexual?”

His cheeks went so pink it took all of Hayes willpower not to pinch them.

“I … think so.”

“You think so?”

“I mean,” he huffed a breath, looking out the window again, a distant look in his sweet blue eyes. “Back then, _before_ , it wasn’t so … okay to be what you were, no matter _what_ you were. I liked women just fine, I looked at ‘em and thought about what it’d be like to be with one… it felt normal. You know?” he shrugged, “But then I’d look at … my … I’d look at _men_ , and feel the same, which I knew...well there were nuns and priests... and back then people actually listened to them, and I knew because they said that I was going to hell if I thought _that_ was normal. But, thing was, it felt just as normal.”

Oh that poor boy, was all Hayes could think, as she grabbed his hand and held it gently as he spoke.

Maybe it was her emotions, maybe it was the fact that she was still drunk, either way, that man needed a hug. She put her plate of cake down on the coffee table so she could do just that if need be.

“So yeah I guess I am.” he half smiled, that dorky smile of his.

“I guess you are. Welcome to the club.”

He nodded sheepishly for a second before realising.

“Wait… you’re in the club too?”

She winked, just as TJ stepped back into the room with a sigh.

“Mother sends her regards, Hayes.”

“How very Lannister of her.” Hayes added and Steve was a little proud he understood that reference. “She okay?”

“Bombing crisis, water crisis… the usual, sadly.” He pinched the bridge of his nose before he took a heavy seat on the sofa, Steve looked to Hayes who merely shrugged before nudging Steve in his direction. He took the large hint, and took a seat to his right, while she took the left.

“She wants me in Washington with Dougie for dinner next week, she has a free weekend, a first in a few months.” he smiled, “whole family apparently.”

“That’ll be nice.” Steve added not really knowing what else to say.

“Maybe…” TJ half agreed. “It’s just the expectation of what goes with it.”

Steve wasn’t fully understanding until Hayes realised this and began to fill some of the blanks for him.

“It’s not like the dinner here tonight, Steve. It’s more of a _thing_. There’ll be a dress code, and interruptions, and you can bet your ass there will be a dignitary or another there too, so a history and civics lesson will be required reading before you get to the bread-sticks.”

Oh, Steve thought, that sucked.

TJ sighed in agreement.

“You guys I …” Steve stood then, not really sure what else to do with his whole body. “I gotta ask.” he looked to them then, and Hayes was dopey, smiley, drunk and it was adorable. TJ looked up, innocent and sweet under his lashes, a curious look on his face, both of them giving him their full attention, and it was a little unnerving.

“Yes?” Hayes smirked, leaning over to reach for her plate of cake.

“What is your … thing? Deal? What … _I mean_ …” he ran his hand through his hair, trying to calm down. But how was this all so okay?

“I kissed you tonight.” He said, pointing to TJ, who bit his lip shyly, looking at Hayes, who just smirked. “And I was flirting with you, and really wanting to kiss you too... the other day … and now… and this… and it’s all so fine? But you two are _obviously_ in some kind of relationship but you’re totally fine with me kissing your boy? And … your mom runs the world … and I just -” he exhaled realising how many words he was saying.

“Steve, breathe. Jesus Christ.” TJ offered, before reaching out and pulling him back to the overly stuffed sofa. “It’s okay.”

“But that’s my point, why is it okay? Normally, a girl hears her guy kissed another guy it’s not hand holding and cake it’s … you know …”

“Scalpings and screaming?” Hayes offered and Steve nodded.

“Yeah, I don’t do that.” she added smugly popping a piece of cake in her mouth.

“I think he’s asking how did we become what we are with each other…” TJ added, smiling.

“Oh.” She responded, mouthful of cake, and Steve was touched by how lack of fucks there were in her eating manner.  “Well, you start then… but don’t get to the good part without me.” she added before standing up, discarding the plate on the table.

“Gotta pee. This is a long story, Stevie. Get comfy.” she winked again before padding down the hallway toward the bedroom.

“You want another drink?” TJ offered and Steve declined. More interested in the story.

“Well, we first met when we were little kids. I’m almost 3 years older, but our dad’s were friends - in the party and when my dad decided to run, her dad was a big supporter and vice versa. But, growing up we didn’t see a lot of each other, separate lives and all that jazz.” he shrugged. “But, once her dad became President, my dad was there as an advisor a lot, and they just liked to hang out. So, we all too had to get used to the idea of hanging out at the White House again.” TJ rolled his eyes. “As you can imagine, as a teenager who had just won his freedom from the place, it was the last place I wanted to be.” Then he leaned in and whispered. “I was such an entitled little shit, that should be the disclaimer.”

Steve laughed.

“Was?” Hayes offered, tip toeing back to her spot on the couch. TJ just nudged her.

“Anyway… the start of this …” TJ motioned to her and back to himself. “Started when we were teenagers…”

                    *************************

“You look as bored as I feel.” he said, into her left ear, leaning over to do so. She turned around then, no longer fidgeting with her fork.

“You.”

“And you.”

The band was playing and people were dancing. Hayes could not have cared less.

She rolled her eyes. “Hi. And yes. But you know… duty and all that.”

“Hence the penguin suit.” he noted of his appearance. “You got breasts.” he stated and she twisted in her seat again, this time an annoyed look on her face.

“You’re a pervert.”

“You think I’m the only man in the room thinking that tonight? At least _I’m_ age appropriate. You see the way old man Martin was lookin’ at you.” TJ sighed, slipping into the seat beside her then. “But also, you know, you look beautiful. You got over that awkward phase real quick, quicker than Dougie and I ever did here.”

She just glared.

“Are you as bored as I am or is your face just ...like that always?”

She glared harder and it made him laugh.

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll go… just figured since you were sitting here all alone you’d like someone under the age of forty to talk to -” he made a move to get up, but she yanked on his sleeve, bringing him back down to his seat.

“I guess you’ll do.”

“Why Miss Morrison you really are all charm aren’t you?”

“Whatever, do you have anything to drink?” she asked, and he knew what she meant but he kept it light.

“I’ll go get us some punch -”

“Not what I meant, TJ. I know you’re tipsy and it’s not fair. Where’d you get it?”

Truth was he knew to carry his own to these things, had done since he was twelve. He moved her empty flute of what he was sure was soda and moved his hands under the table, popping out his flask and filling up her glass with rum. She smiled.

“Rookie move, you should better than to come to these things sane and sober.”

She just laughed taking a ...healthy sip.

“Well, my mother was _fussing_.” she added, yanking up the neckline of her dress. She really had turned into this beautiful young woman, beyond the annoyed braces adorned little kid he’d met a couple of years before.

“For my seventeenth birthday next week you know what we’re doing?”

“What’s that?”

“Visiting a homeless shelter ..with cameras.” she pouted.

“Aw come on…that’s not so bad.”

She just rolled her eyes.

“Look it’s not that I mind it, I don’t. I like … giving back it’s … great.” she sighed. “But -”

“Cameras.” TJ concluded and she nodded.

“I can’t really talk to _anyone_ with them around and they’re _always_ around, I can’t have a real conversation … I’m just First Daughter and I smile and shake hands and be as fake as they are to everyone and I hate it. I’d rather just go alone.”

TJ wanted to smile at her but didn’t, he felt she might have felt it patronizing. She was a good egg, he’d decided. She’d gotten the memo years before he did, and even then as a eighteen year old screw up, he wasn’t as attune to the world as she was.

“I’m bored. Let’s escape?” She asked, standing up in her sparkly gown.

“Sure, where you got in mind?”

                    ***********

Heels replaced with dirty converse she sat legs outstretched on the balcony made of marble of one of the residence living rooms, doors open overlooking Washington, she handed him the bottle of gin, as he sat opposite her.

“It’s not that I don’t … want to do those things.” she began, they had hopped from subject to subject for over two hours, but somehow he knew she was back at what she was fixated on at the party. “I know you probably think I’m a selfish -”

“I don’t think any such thing, Hayes, promise.” And he didn’t she had enough people judging her, but it was curious that she cared what he thought.

She blushed.

“Good.” she held out her hand for the booze.

“Tell me about rehab then? Any hot doctors?” she added with a grin, and that’s how it began, their friendship that would grow with them through the years, changing with them too, particularly the next year when things really took shape into what they would continue to be for most of their adult lives.

                        ************

Six weeks after their first hang out, their families decided that Thanksgiving was a thing they needed to celebrate together. At Camp David.

TJ attempted to get out of it, the idea of spending a weekend being ‘manly’ with his and Hayes’ father just wasn’t appealing to him, but since Dougie had been struck down with mono, he had to be the dutiful son, for once. He’d just take the pills he could sneak there, maybe get some good expensive stuff from the kitchen’s liquor stock which he knew from experience was always well stocked. He could put up with the bugs and the itching for a weekend.

He ran in to Hayes’ brother first, he was a good kid, all rosey cheeks and blushes whenever he got near TJ, and even though he didn’t really mean to, TJ couldn’t help but flirt with the kid a little, it was obvious to TJ that Jackson was in the middle of a very silent sexuality crisis, and sadly it was one he recognised all too easily. He had helped TJ settle in at his lodge - one he was meant to share with Dougie but actually got it to himself. It was next door to where his mother and father were staying and that was in turn just across from the Presidential Aspen Cabin. They had been sitting on TJ’s bed, just talking - sports, TV shows, school - boys… and while TJ was enjoying getting to know how hilarious and warm Jackson was he realised that since he had arrived he had yet to spy Hayes. In the middle of laughing up a storm at some ridiculous thing TJ had done while drunk that impressed the younger Jackson way too much, Haye’s appeared in the doorway of his cabin. She was in her workout gear, complete with high ponytail and tight leggings and a slouchy sweater.

“Oh.” she said in lieu of a hello. “Hi.”

“Hey.” TJ attempted warmly, standing, but she had eyes like daggers.

“No don’t get up,” she added stepping back, “I was going for a run and wanted to see if Jack wanted to come with -”

“I’m not dressed -” he attempted to lie, “Besides, mom needed me to be the one obedient child this weekend and show up to greet our guests.”

“Which I see you’re relishing in.” she sighed before putting her headphone back in. “Whatever, bye.”

And before he could figure out what had happened, she was gone.

“Well, that was weird.”

He decided ten minutes later, that he needed to find out why she was just so damn hostile. Their last encounter was fine, friendly even!

He hopped on one of the many golf buggies that were scattered throughout the property and passed two secret service men in the process. Via them he found out her direction and after driving for a few minutes he saw her jogging along the path. The place was overly huge, it made for easy jogging routes all over.

“Hey!” he shouted, and she ignored him. So he pulled up alongside her. “HEY!”

She merely side eyed him and kept on jogging. It was sort of hilarious.

“H, come on would you stop and talk to me please, what the fuck?!” At that, she did stop.

“What? What do you want?” she asked, out of breath and red, her chest - ample as it was - heaving. He forced himself to focus.

Getting out and standing in front of her helped.

“What the fuck is with the attitude, Hayes?”

“Nothing, I’m just not in the mood for you is all. Excuse me -” she went to set off again but he clasped her wrist.

“Get the fuck away from me!” she yanked and to be honest it fucking scared him.

“What the fuck is your damage?”

She shook her head.

“I was wrong about you that’s all.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“Wrong about what?”

She shrugged. “Lots of things, like hey maybe this is one person in Washington that isn’t a fucking liar down to his bones, but hey, father’s and son’s right?”

Now that pissed him the fuck off.

“Fuck you Hayes.” He really had no idea -

“Actually that’s half the problem, you … are a liar. You -” she was just as angry, he could see it in her face, hear it in her voice. “Slept with Marieanne Fryer, TJ!”

_Oh, fuck._

“Hayes.”

“You know she was bragging about it? Right? The ‘queer’ son of the former president, ‘those Hammond’s never knowing what they wanted on foreign policy or in the sack’ apparently.” She huffed off in her anger to the side of the path into the woods. Stomping off, he had no choice but to follow her.

“Go away, TJ.”

“Look, I didn’t lie to you, okay? I didn’t.”

She was fuming as she turned.

“Oh? So you’re just gay then and she forced you.”

He cringed.

“Uh no, not exactly … I was fucked up okay? We’d partied and had a good time, and yeah she was … hot and did I mention fucked up? Because I was -”

“So she did force you?” her voice was more concerned then, and while he knew to win her around he should have milked that, but then that too would have been a lie. And he didn’t lie to her, he didn’t.

“No… I … sometimes I like to - “ he took a deep breath. “Look sometimes, you know sexuality is fluid you know?”

She squinted at him, leaning back against a tree, her arms folded, completely done with his attempts at articulation.

“So you can only fuck women when you’re fucked up, is that what you’re saying?”

Also no.

He shook his head.

“So why her?” she added, self consciously tucking pulling back her ponytail tighter. “She’s a goddamn Republican, TJ!” she sighed. “Of all people!”

Yeah, he felt shit about that too.

“Look, why do you even care?”

Her annoyance switched to hurt then. And he instantly regretted his choice of words.

“I don’t. Last I checked you were the one chasing _me_ through the goddamn woods.”

He stepped closer, realising maybe why she was so mad. Hoping he was right, otherwise he was going to get punched. “You do care though.”

She looked to the ground, exhaling loudly.

“I don -”

He kept her where she stood by placing his hand on her waist.

“Hayes do you like me?”

Her gaze snapped to him then, murderous and blushing and oh my GOD she liked him.

“Oh my God, you _like me_ like me.”

She rolled her eyes and shoved him.

“What are you? Twelve?”

“ _Mature_.”

“More mature than you.”

He shut her up with a kiss which he was surprised he was allowed to do. Softly at first, just soft and sweet and she tasted like nothing distinctive but he was instantly addicted. The smell of the forest, the pine cones crunching beneath their feet, the noise of the birds, it all fell away when she let him deepen the kiss, even putting her hands on his neck making him shiver.  Right then and there nothing would be the same, that much was for sure.

    Steve interrupted TJ’s storytelling with a sigh. Both TJ and Hayes looked at him then, taking their eyes off each other to do so.

“You two have so much history how … how … I mean why would you want me to complicate that more?”

“Oh honey, you think that’s complicated? That was just us making out in the woods… it got a _lot_ more complicated after that.” Hayes said with a wink, making TJ laugh. Steve now longed for their story ,their whole story but a huge part of him now - even more so than before, felt like he was intruding.

“It doesn’t seem ...right me inserting myself…”

TJ sniggered and Hayes elbowed him, Steve fought his blush.

_These two._

“Steve, come here…” Hayes held out her hand from her seat next to TJ on the couch; tentatively, Steve took her hand and a second later he found himself, and all two hundred pounds of muscle squished between them both.

“Now, don’t you think it’s up to us if we want to ahem, _insert you_ in between us?” Hayes asked, a serious look on her pretty face. Steve looked from one to the other, and they were expecting an answer.

“… yes?”

“Right, and if we decided that _I_ want to make out with you, and _he_ ,” she pointed to TJ, “wants to make out with you, and if you in turn would like to do that with us, then I don’t see the problem here? We’re all educated, relatively sensible adults, of sound body and mind, and frankly life is too short to pine away for things we want if they’re,” at that she slid her hand up his, to his bicep, “within reach.”

Steve was pretty damn sure his heart was going to explode it was beating so fast. He was tucked rather nicely in between them both, Hayes at his front, TJ to his back - the warmth was nice.

“So really Steve, it comes down to what you want? One of us?” TJ asked, before he shifted, so they were all a little more comfortable, enough for him to slide his hand in hers too. “Or both of us?”

He wasn’t sure his words would work, he was sure he’d say something stupid or kill the heightened mood of whatever it was that was happening. Instead he decided to be brave, and he leaned in and did the thing he’d been thinking about since he first saw her in that dress, at that party, across that room.

He kissed Hayes, softly inhaling the smell of her perfume, how soft her hands were when he took one in his, before she squeezed, a reassuring squeeze,  while his free hand moved to TJ’s knee just so he knew it hadn’t forgot about him - how could he -  before he felt another set of lips at his neck. He didn’t know what he was doing, not really. It had been a long while since anyone had touched him like this, in a way that meant more than just sex, more than just a means to an end. Steve was pretty sure this wasn’t a means to an end, if anything it was the start of something complicated, and amazing.

He had just moved from her lips to his, feeling her lips then on his neck as he and TJ kissed for the second time that night, he was finding his groove, finding his courage… when his work phone went off.

Natasha’s ringtone.

_Well, fuck._

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone with me? Sorry about the delay! Reviews are actively encouraged :D :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve gets some but not all the TLC he needs. Hayes display's some serious self control, and TJ really is in the wrong place at the wrong time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY I JUST DISAPPEARED OKAY. I AM. But, to be fair this chapter has evaded me for weeks, and after that I was traveling in the US for almost a month, so... I beg forgiveness and present what's below. I hope you enjoy and come chatter with me if you do :D

He paced as he talked, and Hayes admired how his whole body just curled in on itself from step to step. He was this big, muscled guy, and yet he looked like a kid being told off by his teacher.

“Yes, Nat I’ll … No I’m only  … I’ll meet you on the roof okay, just … yes I’m on my way.” he sighed, before sliding his phone back in his pocket. He looked back to the couch where both TJ and Hayes were looking at him, curiously.

“Avenging business?” Hayes asked, and Steve nodded.

“There’s a …” and he realised it was better if they didn’t know. For now. “A thing.”

“A thing that means you have to leave, right?” TJ added, sitting up, less chilled out, less comfortable than he had been before Steve stood up to speak to his super co-worker.

“Yeah I … I’m sorry to ... “ he waved his hand at them and it made Hayes laugh. She stood then, her bare feet, and slightly messed hair, her lipstick all worn off with the kissing; he ached - and not just in the obvious places, to keep going and forget the world.

“Go, we’ll be here when you get back.” TJ added, and honestly, if someone had shot him it would have been less of a shock to the system than those words were to Steve. So simple and said so casually, but he’d never really had  someone there when he came back.

Never mind two.

They were smiling at him as he shrugged on his jacket, kissed them both on the cheek - rather awkwardly - and booked it to the Tower.

He didn’t know what he was doing with them, but whatever it was, he loved it so far.

                            **********

She sighed dreamily when she flopped back down next to him on the couch.

“He’s just so ....”

“Yeah…” TJ agreed, “also that happened…” his eyes widened to her smirk.

“Yeah, I mean I was kind of winging it I won’t lie.” she admitted. “But this is what you -”

“Of course, shit … _yes_.” They had discussed wanting to eat him up, but this was all very real suddenly.

“I mean I’ve never shared you before …” he admitted and she snorted.

“Not for the lack of trying!”

“Okay one, that was… _so_ long ago and dude, she was hot! _And_ she wanted to fuck us both, I … it was a long time ago!”

Hayes smiled. They partied a little too hard one night in LA, there was a model, it was all blurry given the amount of substances in her system at the time. They hadn’t shared themselves with the model though, or even with each other that night. They had passed out in a hotel room, and when he had woken up Hayes was gone - again.

“This is different. It feels different.” He added.

“Because we aren’t high on six different kinds of shit that's why.”

“That. And I don’t know this doesn’t feel like a _fuck and flee_ kind of situation either. I really like him, Hayes.”

Course he did, not only was he TJ’s childhood crush, but Steve himself really was TJ’s type in men to a tee. Hayes on the other hand, part of her adored Steve, but a small part of her knew that his honest, earnest, big hearted, pure soul… well… it freaked her out. No matter how pretty he was, she wasn’t really used to people without an agenda. Still, she really liked him, and she liked the idea of where the arrangement could go.

Namely if she got to have sex with her TJ _and_ Captain America, well, that would be a good day all around.

“Oh, I know you do, sitting there still half hard and flustered that _Captain America_ was palming you through your pants ten minutes ago -” she did it to make him blush and when he did a thrill ran through her, the same thrill she got from provoking those around her, or winning an argument.

“ _Shut up_ …” he attempted, half assed and it made her laugh before he slid over and kissed her, once, twice, before pulling back. “You two looked so fucking good together too … I wasn’t sure what was turning me on more to be honest.” she laughed then, because yeah.

YEAH.

She moved elegantly to his lap, proving her suspicions about his state of arousal correct and smiling at being right.

“Let’s just take this as it comes, hm?” She asked, because how else were they meant to take it?

“Speaking of coming…”

She just rolled her eyes before playfully smacking him on the head.

“Just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” She sighed, but before she had a chance to think he had her flipped on her back.

“Never really could help myself where you were concerned.”

If they had sex right there on the livingroom floor, well, that was their business.

                        *******

“He … should have called? The News…”

_“I know, but my mom assures me she’d know if something happened.”_

Hayes sat in the middle of the bed on her phone, CNN on mute. The fight was long over, cleanup had begun, but there were no word on survivors - or the status of The Avengers.

“Does your mom know about _you know_ …”

 _“No, I said I’ve met him, but that’s it.”_ TJ sighed. _“Look, should we call someone? I just don't know if it’s … allowed? Like, this sort of thing is probably classified.”_

“Yeah, I just… the wreckage.”

_“Mmm, they’re working on the clean up right now though, that’s always a good sign. No waiting.”_

There was a tapping at the door, and Hayes wasn’t sure who it could have been given she hadn’t buzzed anyone in. She shifted off the bed to pad barefoot out of the bedroom and to the door.

“Are you expecting anyone?” She asked TJ, because well, it was his apartment. And she wasn’t because she had no friends. Not friends like that, anyway.

_“No, why?”_

“There’s someone at the door I didn’t buzz in…” she whispered, and moved to peek out the hole.

_“Dude, dont fucking -”_

“Wait, it’s Steve?” She whispered, confused.

“Yeah hi.” Steve said on the other side of the door, making Hayes jump, because fuck? It was a thick ass door and she had been quiet!

“I’ll call you back okay?”

 _“TELL ME EVERYTHI-”_ he attempted but she hung up, focusing instead on opening the door - only to find a very pale (even for him) Steve, leaning against the doorframe.

“Steve? Are you alright?”

e smiled, but Hayes could see he really wasn’t.

“Yeah, no, I’m great I’m … good… I’m okay.” he settled on that, his smile faltering. It was then she noticed he was still in his uniform, only with a leather jacket over top.

She ushered him inside, and she watched as he limped in the hall, and down to the Living Room.

“Oh my God, Steve you’re full of shit you are _not_ okay!?” She directed at him as he gingerly sat down. Then he sighed like it had taken all his effort.

His head tilted back to the couch, his eyes closed for a second before he smiled and looked up at her, where she stood, arms crossed looking annoyed.

“Yeah sorry, it’s been a rough day.”

“No shit, I just saw you get flung across the Brooklyn Bridge, Steve. What was that?”

“Another day at the office?” he attempted weakly. And considered maybe just showing up was a bad idea.

 _‘R U gonna have sex with him?’_ \- came the text to her phone that she promptly ignored.

 _‘RU GONNA HAVE SEX WITH HIM ...WITHOUT ME? HAYES, THERE WAS A PINKY PROMISE.’_ \- came the next one and she fought the urge to laugh because she knew he was freaking out. Little did he know there would be no sexing, because of the shape Steve showed up in. But also because of Pinky Promises.

She took those very seriously.

“Steve this isn’t… oh my god you’re bleeding.” she pointed out and he had the sense to look guilty.

“I’m sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have come, I just … you said that you… both would be here if -”

Her heart broke a little then as she sank down gently next to him.

“Steve, of course you should have... I just … shouldn’t you be in a hospital or something?” She was at a loss, she didn’t do well with unwell or bleeding people, fearing making things worse she avoided those kinds of situations like the plague.

“I was, for a bit they checked me out and it’s fine - I uh,” he winced, he was a terrible liar, “I’ll be fine I heal real fast…”

“Well, sure, okay… but …” she put her hand on his, he was freezing. “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt like hell?”

He gave her that dorky half smile of his.

“Sorta. But I’m good, I swear.”

“Steve, you’re bleeding all over TJ’s Hermes blanket, that’s not _fine_.”

He looked puzzled.

“Come on, this is no good.” She added, taking him by the hand then, and pulling at him to get off the sofa. She was ineffective but he went willingly in a second. Trusting her as she led him down the livingroom to the other end of the apartment, to the bedroom.

He was dead on his feet. And bleeding on the Hermes.

“This isn’t _exactly_ what I thought we’d be doing first time I saw the bedroom…” he commented and he felt a little light headed. Was it because of the repeated bashings, or the hot woman leading him to a beyond comfortable looking bed?

It was hard to tell...

The room was very masculine, dark wood floors like the rest of the apartment, but with a large navy blue area rug for warmth. The faux four poster bed covered in a big fluffy white quilt and pillows with a few soft looking cushions in the same blue as the rug and the curtains.

She pushed him softly on to the bed where he sat willingly. Wishing his body would stop aching so he could appreciate this phenomenon properly.

He could sense that she wasn’t comfortable. She looked stressed, and she still had her phone in her hand.

“Hayes, really I just wanted to … see you guys. I’m going to be fine, promise.”

She didn’t look convinced. Standing in front of him he was eye level to her breasts.

Her arms folded again.

“You swear?”

“I swear. I’ve had worse, trust me.”

Her face fell then.

“Not helping, Steve.”

He laughed then, taking her hand.

“I swear. I’ll be good as new in the morning.”

“But you’re _bleeding…_ ”

“It’ll stop soon.”

She made a tutting sound before she sank to her knees in front of him, and as half dead as he was, he wasn’t _that_ dead. His heart rate spiked in his throat. Because … what a sight.

Instead of ruining the moment with words he waited to see what she was doing. And what she was doing touched his heart a little more than he was prepared to admit, even to himself.

She reached up to his neck for the zip of his uniform, and gently started to undo it. There was no sound in the dimly lit room save the ticking alarm clock, and the rustle of the zip being undone, until the top half of his uniform was hanging open. Her face was utter concentration as she unzipped his top, leaving it to hang open, leaving it also to expose his cuts. Her brow creased and he wanted so badly to kiss it …

“Okay one, this uniform is more complicated than some lingerie I own, how do you do this in a rush? And two… you need a shower.” She grimaced at his bandaged sides.

He probably did.

“I don’t have anything to wear.” he added, innocently enough but she wasn’t falling for it. Instead she smirked, slowly standing.

“Yeah don’t pull that on me, you can borrow something of TJ’s, you’ve both smaller waists than me anyhow…” she added, moving across the room into the ensuite where he heard the shower water start to pound against the tile. When she came back out again she was holding some towels.

“I’ll leave the clothes here for you okay? When you’re done, get into bed. I’m going to get us something to eat.”

He stood with effort, to stop her from leaving the room.

“You don’t have to do this you know? I just …” he didn’t have an ending to his sentence, he wanted to see her, to see TJ, to remind himself that he had something to look forward to. It had been two days of fighting, two days of his life on the line - again - he needed that reminder. He just didn’t want her to be put out because he was feeling needy.  Instead of dismissing him, she ran her hand down his arm.

“I want to okay, now scoot. You’re wasting water.” she smiled. “You like pizza, right?”

                    *********************

When Steve’s back felt the hot water it was like he’d fallen into heaven. The steam, the heat, everything just felt so good against his tired bones. He spent probably longer than he should have just standing there, not really getting clean, but trying in an attempt to get his head straight. They had been fighting for two days, it had taken it out of the whole team, but thankfully, the whole team also walked away. Worse for wear of course, but alive, and that wasn’t always the case. When he closed his eyes, he still saw the fight, and not the one that ended in mid-town, the one that ended, they told him, seventy years before.

Pulling himself out and wrapping himself in the big, white, fluffy towel Hayes had left for him he padded out to the empty bedroom - a bedroom that didn’t belong to him - and saw she had left clothes neatly folded on the bed. The t-shirt was tight on Steve but then again, all his t-shirts were like that. But the sweatpants fit perfectly. He smiled to himself, wondering if TJ would be pleased or annoyed that Steve was raiding his wardrobe and waiting for his girlfriend to bring food. It also made him realise he had no idea where TJ was.

Grabbing his cell he shot off a message to TJ.

“Your bedroom is really cute.” He wrote, then erased the cute, _cute_ wasn’t the right word…Cute wasn’t even a word Steve used, really. He looked around. “Cozy.” he settled on, and even added a little smiley yellow cartoon face that Nat was telling him was a ‘thing’ now too.

A few minutes passed, Steve flipped the channels on the large tv that was mounted against the wall, and took Hayes orders and actually got into the bed - sitting down against the plush pillows, no covers though, because that felt like too much until she came back and he could take the lead from here as to where this was going. But, as it stood he was dead on his feet and he was just closing his eyes for a second when his phone buzzed.

There was a sad little yellow cartoon face.

Oh. TJ.

Then another buzz.

 _“H taking care of you? She thinks she’s not good at those types of things, but she is. Ps. I am very sad and bitter that you’re in my bedroom when I’m in another state. The world is unfair.”_ Followed by a string of varied sad themed cartoon faces. It made Steve laugh.

“She is, gone to get food - room is real cozy and should I tell you I’m wearing your clothes?” Smiley cartoon face.A second passed and he just got a shocked cartoon face.

Then another message.

 _“Jesus Christ I hate my life. At least take a selfie? I’m dying here.”_ Steve heard the front door close, and a few seconds later, Hayes appeared in the bedroom doorway, two large pizza boxes in hand, a bag on top.

She took in his appearance, and he felt his skin prickle when she gave him the once-over. If he wasn’t delirious, he could have sworn she bit her lip.

“I come baring much pizza and also brownies, because why not? Do you mind if we eat in bed? I’m too tired to be civil…” She added, sliding off her shoes, before setting the boxes at Steve’s side before pouncing on the bed. God, he was suddenly starving - and not just for the food.

“TJ is texting me sad emojis, it’s hilarious.” she commented before picking up a big piece of pizza, Steve felt it was okay to slip into bed beside her then, both of them sitting up, the TV on mute, tucking into the food.

“He wants a … selfie?”

She laughed.

“Of course he does, he’s having dinner with his mom and family and the dignitary from England, he’s bored out of his mind. C’mere.” she motioned as she scooted closer to him, pulling out her phone, and grabbing the pizza. He looked into her camera, they looked complete wrecks. Her hair in a bun on top of her head, windswept cheeks, and a mouthful of pizza. Steve goobed up for the photo too, making her laugh.

“Done.”  then she leaned over, pizza still in hand and kissed Steve on the cheek before reaching for the remote.

“You have a TV preference?”

He didn’t, so she settled on an old - according to her - black and white movie Steve hadn’t seen yet.

They ate in comfortable silence for a little while, Steve devouring six slices, and a brownie before he started to feel a little more human, Hayes nodded, satisfied when he sighed contently.

“You know I’m still curious,” Steve began, his head still tipped back, eyes closed, and he opened one to find her looking at him, laying on her side, her hand on her chin.

“About what?”

“What happened after you and TJ made out in the woods…”

That made her laugh and she shifted then to sit up and reach over to the pizza boxes for another slice.

Taking a bite she began.

“Awkwardness happened, for the most part... We made our way back to the main house - Thanksgiving was had, we barely made eye contact that entire day. But then,” she sighed. “We ended up making out in a bike shed for a half an hour the day he went home.” she smiled. “I figured we wouldn’t see each other for a good while  - so maybe he got to see my boobs, and we finger banged.”

She laughed at Steve’s raised eyebrows then.

“But as luck would have it…. Our families were feeling the love, and being in massive trade negotiations meant my father was seeking all the advice he could - so they appeared the week between Christmas and New Year, they spent the weekend - my parents threw parties and dinners, made it a _thing_.”

                    *****

There was dancing, of course, her mother loved dancing, and was forever bitter that Hayes didn’t follow her dream of becoming a dancer - she hadn’t the patience for such things, and when she got her boobs at fourteen, well, being ballerina was out the window. But, parties at their house - now The White House meant music, and schmoozing, and uncomfortable underwear. She had expected when they arrived, that maybe she and TJ would or could just pick up where they had left off at Thanksgiving,  she was a lonely, horny teenager, so of course she thought that.

Apparently he didn’t.

Or, if he did he was going about it the wrong damn way.

He had all but ignored her again, in favour of hanging near his brother and hers, her brother was thrilled the older boys thought he was cool enough to hang with, and when Hayes realised that it was all idiotic boy talk she made herself disappear in favour of getting ready for the party. And maybe when her dress went up, a half a bottle of vodka went down. She felt a million times more confident as she walked into the ballroom, and aimed straight for a Hammond.

Just not the one she really wanted.

“So… while this is really nice an all…” Dougie commented, twirling her around the floor to the smiles of everyone around them, her own fake one never faltering. “What’s going on?”

“I just thought you’d like to -”

“With you and my brother?”

The smile faltered then, she felt it.

“I don’t know what you mean…”

“Hm, see I think you do. He’s been twitchy since we set to come here, and you both have this … I don't know, weird energy or something -”

“We don’t have -”

“And…” he interrupted, turning her again, “he’s been staring daggers at me since I stepped on to this floor with you. So, you know, maybe you don’t think there’s anything, but I think I  know my brother well enough to know there is.”

She sighed.

“It’s nothing, how could be?” He nodded then, seemingly accepting her answer. The music slowed and eventually stopped.

“Thanks for the dance, you’ve got good timing.” She smiled, before taking her leave and making a beeline for the private hallway that led her to her room.

She’d locked herself away most of the night, and she knew the time the party stopped and her parents went to bed, she knew when the Hammond’s did too because Bud was loud as fuck. She had no idea where the twins were sleeping, but she felt safe enough after 2am to slip out of her room in search a snack.

She found TJ standing by the painting of JFK in plaid pajamas and a white t-shirt. She was tempted to walk past and say nothing, but thought against it.

“He looks sad. To me… he always looks … sad.” She said instead.

“Yeah, me too.” he spoke softly before looking at her. “Hayes, I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t make him sad, don’t sweat it.” she attempted, walking past him and hoping he didn’t follow her.

He did.

“About tonight, today… the whole … I just didn’t … I’m an idiot okay and I thought if we just pretended nothing happened -”

“Nothing did, we fooled around.” she took the stairs as fast as she could, he was right behind her. “You think you’re the first boy I’ve messed around with? It’s no big deal TJ.” He followed her silently until she got to the kitchen. It was thankfully empty at this time of night, the chef only called upon if they actually called and asked him to make them something. Haynes never did that, she could fend for herself without annoying hard working people.

With all she needed for a few grilled cheeses, she asked if he wanted anything.

“Do they still do the big tubs of -”

“Ice-cream? Yeah. What you want?”

His eyes lit up.

“Any cookie dough?”

She sifted through one of the freezers and sure enough there was a big tub of the stuff. He knew where the spoons were, of course he did.

“Where’s Dougie?”

He hopped up on the counter, hugging the tub of ice-cream when he did.

“Sleeps like the dead, snores like a damn train... I couldn’t sleep anyway… so went for a walk.”

She nodded.

“Well, we’re in a damn museum so, why not, right?”

“I did want to see you to say sorry -”

“Can we just drop it? TJ, honestly I’ve had enough of boys just … being boys at me, lately.”

He brow furrowed.

“It’s nothing.”

He sighed and she continued making her grilled cheese sandwiches. She made four on the big grill. He could have one if he was lucky, she thought.

“Last guy I had a crush on kind of stamped on my heart. He was a water polo player at my old boarding school, and god, he was so hot.” he smiled. “But he wasn’t a good guy it turns out, also turns out his dad was involved in some pretty shady shit, and he wanted to use my connections.” TJ finished, stuffing the spoon back in the ice-cream.

“Men, right?” Hayes added, flipping the sandwiches on the pan. She heard him hop down from behind her. Having sensed him behind her, the hairs on the back of her neck rising, she froze. It wasn’t until she felt his hands on her hips that she let the breath she’d been holding go.

“Is this okay?” he whispered, and honestly, she wasn’t sure if it _was_ , but she wanted it. She wanted whatever this was.

So she nodded, and his kissed her neck, before tightening the grip on her hips and turning her toward slowly him.

“I’m sorry…” he said again, looking straight into her eyes. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react to me, so I decided to be an ass, and level the odds, if you were going to ignore me at least I could blame that instead of -”

“Me, regretting Thanksgiving?”

He nodded, a blush in his cheeks.  

“I don’t.”

He smiled.

“Me either.” His eyes went from her eyes to her lips and back, and she might not have had a lot of boy code cracking at that point in her life, but she knew the basics. Which was how they ended up making out in the kitchen  - long enough to burn the grilled cheese.

                        *****

“Hayes, you know the rules.” her assigned Secret Service Agent said with a sigh. Her usual, Nieva was on holiday break and so she was stuck with Dumb and Dumber, from her Mother’s detail that week.

“Charles, please? Look, we’re just going to watch a movie.” The men stood by her bedroom door, the next night after the kitchen kissing. Dougie did indeed sleep like the dead and TJ and Hayes had met up in the kitchen again, this time earlier, this time with a plan to make-out somewhere they wouldn’t - maybe -  get caught.

But Agents Cock and Block weren’t co-operating.

“No boys allowed in any of the private residence bedrooms…” he reiterated.

“Oh my GOD.” Hayes sighed. “Is _that_ what this about? You guys…” she looked to both men before stage whispering, “you know this is the gay one, right?”

She heard TJ smirk, but kept her eyes on the men as they looked to each other for confirmation.

“Look, we’re friends and we’re bored … and look? Does this amount of candy make it seem like we’re about to do _anything_ in my room that doesn’t involve sugar comas? Besides, you guys are more TJ’s type than me any day of the week.” she sighed, overdramatically, before looking to TJ and then back to the men who seemed to relax.

“ Fine.. but one movie and then he leaves.”

She nodded before pushing past them.

“Besides,” she added once they were both inside the door - “I’d be more worried about what my brother’s doing right now than me, I’m just sayin’.”

As she closed the door TJ let his laugh go, finally, before they dumped the pilfered snacks on her bed and he grabbed her by the hand and yanked her down on to the bed with a bump.

“What’s your brother doing?”

“Nothing.” she smiled up at him, “he’s sleeping sound to the world, but this means they’ll actually patrol the level now and not just stand outside.” her eyes widened comically before she moved up to kiss him.

They technically weren’t meant to be at the residence at all, but ever since someone had tried to break in the month before, rules were a little bendy.

They got the movie started at some point, but it was long forgotten very quickly.

“We can’t keep doing this…” Hayes voiced eventually, his hands up her night shirt, his t-shirt somewhere on the floor. He froze, and leaned back to look her in the eyes.

“You want to stop?”

“No… I want to _not_ stop.” she added, pointedly, pawing at each other when they got the chance was one thing, but he was leaving that next day and who knew when she’d have the chance again? Frustration and horniness didn’t make for patience. She sighed, and shifted, he moved off her to the side of her bed and let her up. She yanked him by the hand off the bed and toward her closet. Opening it up the walk in build had automatic lighting, and inside she had her sleeping bag and all her other pillows.

“There’s an irony to this that I don’t think you’re missing.” TJ spoke then, seeing what she had in mind, both of them standing in the closet.

Turning to him then with a smirk, “you want to?”

“Have sex with you … in the closet?”

Rolling her eyes, “dude, Agents, doors… you know what it’s like.”

He smiled then.

“Did you plan this?”

“No. I … don’t tell anyone ok?  But…  sometimes I sleep in here.” she shrugged. Closing the doors behind them.

“Why?”

She shrugged again, hoping he’d drop the line of questioning. Instead, she whipped off her night shirt, leaving her totally topless, with only sleep shorts on.

His mouth went agape.

“You gotta be sure about this Hayes, I mean …” she was. And she moved to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, standing on her tippy toes.

“I am.”

“It should be with someone you ...sorta love?”

“It probably should, but you know what this life is like, TJ. The boys around me aren’t interested in ME.”

He got that faraway look in his eye at that before he nodded.

“Yeah.”

She smiled up at him then, all adorable freckles and sparkle in her eyes. Wriggling her brows she moved  to start on his belt.

He stopped her.

“Are you _really_ fucking sure? Tell me no, I won’t think anything bad, I swear.”

She rolled her eyes then.

“TJ, you know I’m a shoe-in to Harvard, right? I’m not, in  fact, a fucking idiot. I know what I want. But, if you don’t -”

He kissed her to stop the second guessing, and just to kiss her for the sake of it. He really enjoyed kissing her. If she was sure, then who was he to deny her, or himself, what he wanted too? So, he didn’t, nor did she.

Sure, their first time together was a little awkward, it was her first time full stop - he was gentle, maybe at times frustratingly so, but he wanted to give her a good time - they weren't in love then but that didn’t mean he couldn’t make love to her. Or at least, so he’d tell her, years later.

                    ***

Steve was looking at her, a soft smile on his beautifully dumb face. She reached up and touched a rapidly healing cut on his eyebrow.

“And... what happened, you know, after?” he blushed.

She smiled. “We um… kept sneaking around that whole weekend - much to our brother’s chagrin.” she rolled her eyes. “But it was good, I was glad it was him, in the end. At least that one time, it didn’t end up on the front page of the gossip rags.” she exhaled moving to lay on her back. Her way of storytelling was compelling, and he wanted to know the story of them in all its glory. He wanted to know their past, if he was going to be any sort of part of their future.

Instead of continuing, she shifted again, this time closer, so close he could smell her perfume, see her freckles.

“Right now though, it’s just dawned on me that you haven’t slept. You need to rest, and heal.”

“I am resting, and I am healing… this is nice.”

“Just this?” she asked, cocking a brow at him before looking at his mouth, and oh, his stomach flip flopped. Before he got ballsy and moved in for a kiss. It surprised her, which pleased him. He didn’t want her - them - to think of him as prudish Captain America, he wasn’t - he was far from it. It was just, once labelled a certain way, it was hard to get out from under that label.

One of the major struggles of his new life though, so it was nothing new.

Instead, he focused on her mouth and how amazing she was at kissing - dirty, and  a little rough and my God, it went straight to his dick, because even though he wasn’t really fully healed, he wanted to be, so he could touch.

He so badly wanted to do _all_ the touching.

But, it was after she moved closer to him that he hissed causing her to move away that he cursed himself.

Then she just looked pissed.

“You lied!”

“It’s fine honestly… it’s just a little you know -”

“GAPING WOUND. _Steven_.” she sighed sitting up straighter then, he followed her lead, and damn it, the straddling was fun. Or almost anyway.

“Don’t you pout at me, you’re too big in the biceps for pouting.” she rambled, and he found he enjoyed making her mad like this, it was hot.

Though to be fair in the state he was in, everything she did was hot.

“Despite appearances my intention was never … this. You looked about to knock on death’s door Steve,” she moved some hair behind hish ear, and even that small action had him yearning for more of her touch.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

She tutted then, before kissing him softly.

“Nothing to be sorry for, but we’re just … getting ahead of ourselves right now. If we’re going to do this all in, then we need to be … together for the first time.”

That gave him hope, a little hope even eased the pains of his rapid healing.

“You and TJ are still -”

“Of course we are… absolutely still.” she smiled. “I just think if we’re going to enter into something that has complicated written all over it, that for at least the first time it should be, you know, a group activity.”

He understood that, so then there was no one feeling left out of any ‘firsts’ that may occur.

“Spoken like a real lawyer.” Steve commented then, and then it was her turn to pout, as she glanced at his crotch and then closed her eyes.

“Why does he have to be in fucking Washington?” she asked with a sigh, before shifting to sit up properly.

Steve sighed thinking the same damn thing before moving to put his arms behind his head looking at the ceiling.

“It’s probably a good thing. I haven’t even had the chance to court you both properly.”

For a split second, Hayes assumed he was being ironic, but no, the look on his face was legit. She bit her lip to stop from laughing. He really was too adorable. Turing to him then, resting her chin on her hand she did laugh.

“I’ve never had this reaction to a self imposed cockblock before, just so you know.”

He laughed and for some reason it triggered her truly naughty side to come out to play.

“You know…” she all but whispered, before ghosting her fingers along his clasped hands that laid over that big ol’ chest of his. If she noticed a hitch in his breathing she would never say.

“Just because we shouldn’t touch each other… doesn’t mean we can’t touch at all.”

With a cocked brow he looked at her.

“At all meaning?”

“Meaning… TJ can’t feel left out if I’m just touching... myself.” she grinned, and it took him half a second because, really?

There was a beat, one that seemed to last a lifetime if you’d asked Hayes.

But then she laughed, and moved off the bed.

“Jesus, Steve. Your face. Never play poker.” she added though he sensed apprehension in her voice, before lifting a pillow and lobbing it softly at his head.

“I’m going to take a shower and think happy thoughts, you … can do whatever it is you do. We’re not there yet, soldier.”

Taking another, much needed deep breath Steve laughed.

There never was a dull moment with that woman, that’s for sure.

                        ******

He had come back from his shower after her, and they had laid innocently enough, though with some kissing that was allowed, and for that he was grateful. Being there all soft and warm and smelling like she did, and wanting to take care of him, it was a hell of a turn on. Mostly he realised because she seemed unsure as to how she was doing, he wanted to reassure her that she was doing amazing, that she was being so kind and sweet to him. And, he even wanted to admit that it had been a long time since he had anyone take care of him in such a way, way before he woke up in the new world for one thing. But, he decided against it, he knew it would only bring up old stories, and like she said with some of the sexual adventures, they just weren’t there yet either. Instead, he revelled in her cuddles, and the peaceful drone of Late Night TV before nodding off in her arms. But then it was six am and his body clock pushed him awake, she was still dead to the world, her back to him, so he laid there listening to the sounds of the apartment, of her breathing, trying to force himself back to sleep. It was no good. Twenty whole minutes he tried again before getting up and tip toeing out of the room and down to the kitchen where he fixed some coffee, taking in the bits and bobs of TJ’s life he put on show in his place. Photos of his parents, his brother and who he assumed was his brother’s wife - they had a kid now - very cute family he realised. His mother looked proud, his father too. TJ had a thing for magnets on his fridge, silly ones, and even some rude ones that made Steve chuckle.

He was lost in a world of being a nosy asshole when he heard the front door close, he wasn’t sure who or what was arriving at quarter to seven in the morning, but he was sure of one thing. Hayes was probably still out cold. So, he took the stairs two at a time, to come face to face with a windswept TJ standing in the hallway, wrestling silently with his coat and umbrella. His overnight bag at his feet.

TJ spotted him, mid-wrestle, and they both just sort of stood there.

It was slightly awkward, Steve realised.

He had just been in that man’s bed, with that man’s girl…

But this wasn’t a normal circumstance, he reminded himself. Which was about all he had time to do before TJ - damp haired and smelling like rain, crossed the room to where he stood and kissed him, just like that.

“You okay?” he asked when he pulled back, almost inspecting Steve for something, his eyes roaming his body before they fixed on his face. Steve took the concern on his face for what it was, surprisingly nice.

“I … yeah. I’m good.” Better after that kiss, he wanted to say.

“You sure? We saw you get flung over a bridge, Steve.”

Steve smiled.

“I’m sure. Hayes is good at caretaking.”

“Yeah she is, though just how good care we taking here?” he asked with a blush.

“The kabosh was put on too much _care_ ," he laughed, self consciously raking his hand through his hair, "She uh... she said you called dibs.”

TJ's eyes widened then and he started to protest, but Steve just wasn’t having that, instead he kissed him again.

“I’m kidding.” he confessed when they broke apart once more.

“How are you here?”

At that TJ rolled his eyes, and moved to kick off his shoes.

“Mom had a thing at the U.N last minute, so I hitched a ride.”

“On a White House airplane?”

He shrugged.

“Helicopter, but still.”

Yeah, they both realised how ridiculous that was; and awkwardness could have set in if they’d given it time, thankfully they didn’t.

“Hayes still asleep?” TJ asked checking his watch, Steve knew it was way too early for her, even knowing as little about her as he did.

“Yeah. I made coffee...”

TJ nodded, before biting his lip.

“Hm. As much as I love my coffee, and _I do_ …  What’yasay we go uh... wake her up instead?”

There was promise in his eyes and Steve was really, really on board with all of that.

“I think that’s a fantastic idea.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS IF I PROMISE THEY BANG NEXT CHAPTER WILL YOU FORGIVE THE SUPER LONG HIATUS? lol okaybye


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with all the sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been 84 years - or ten months, but who's counting? For all three of you still interested in this story I thank yooou, and any and all feedback is inspiring! Hopefully the rest will be faster at showing itself than this chapter has been. Apologies again, and enjoy???? lol! xo

Her dream was pleasant; a warm, sunlight of feeling washing over her constantly. It was a good sleep, she felt soft and safe. 

And wet.

Why was her neck wet? 

A small panic ran through her as she woke, only to hear TJ smirk that instantly relaxed her, as he kissed her into awake further. 

“Good morning, Sleepy.” He whispered to her ear before nibbling at her lobe arousal coiling like a spring inside her at his touch.  

“Mmm, good morning,  _ Dopey _ .”

She saw him roll his eyes before she felt another set of very soft lips on the other side of her neck. She hadn’t fully opened her eyes until then and when she did, she saw, and felt, and smelled, Steve.

He smelled like some very woodsy cologne, she didn’t hate it.

“Well. Hello to you too.” She murmured, enjoying immensely this new alarm clock.

“So which one am I?” Steve asked, making TJ laugh. She wasn’t awake enough for this.

“Huh?”

“Which of the Dwarfs? I was always fond of Bashful.”

She smiled then, patting his pretty, pretty face. Yeah Bashful was good for him.

“You got it Bash.” she added before giving him a quick peck on the mouth, before pushing him away. Getting out of the bed, while two very confused men looked on.

“What? Morning breath is not going to ruin,” she gestured at them. “Whatever this is gonna be. Back in a sec!” 

Steve laughed then watching her speed walk to the bathroom off TJ’s bedroom, scooting further into the bed. TJ watched him sigh happily before making eye contact with him, and TJ’s heart once again skipped a beat.

_ Yeah, he was so screwed. _

“Look I still meant what I said, I know this thing will be complicated, beyond... given who we all are. But,  whatever it is, or isn't, I’d like to date - properly. And I know that might not be the ‘cool’ thing now with phone swipes and stuff, but I do.” 

Shifting over, TJ touched his face, bringing him in for a kiss. Deepening it instantly, he was done playing safe. They could date, they could write in the sky for all he cared, but all he wanted right then was his people. Not caring about the world outside his four walls, for a change.

***

In theory, threesomes were always a fun  _ idea _ , what wasn’t there to love? All the sex, with all the people, all the time, right? 

In reality though, she might have been dying. A fantastic and enviable death, but still. 

Death was near. 

_ She could feel it. _

Rather, that was all she could feel, her legs had long since past gone numb, and she was pretty sure she was dehydrated.

 

Steve Rogers was a lot of things, a hero, an icon, actual bashful human being, and a goddamn ferocious lover. He wasn’t polite in bed, once given the green light, the man was laser focused, and  _ cunning _ . 

TJ she knew was just in awe it was happening, but then both of them and their lips, and their dicks, and frankly their everything was there, overwhelming her senses too. In the best possible way.

When she had returned from necessary teeth brushing and peeing, and maybe a little sneaky deodorant using, she found them making out on TJ’s bed. A sight to be sure, one she was happy to take in silently for a minute or two before, metaphorically at least, putting her big kinky girl pants on and literally hopping into bed.

 

From there it was a blur of kisses, and touches, timid at first - all of them nervous though trying not to let on they were. In the spirit of naked honesty, and just plain nakedness, she voiced her nerves making them all relax.

 

“We can stop at any time,” she murmured pointlessly as Steve kissed her neck, as his hand snaked to TJ to bring him in for kisses then too.  As if any of them wanted that!

 

The more relaxed they got then the more demanding the  gentle caresses turned; purposefully, TJ lavished her breasts with attention, as Steve settled betwixt her thighs, it was all she could do just to breathe Clothes got peeled off gently, until they were all just a little more than vulnerable in front of each other.. They were a naked, a and heated,  a messy heady mixture of what could only be described as  _ fucking _ . 

Pupils blown wide and mouths swollen pink and glossy with use. Awkward, unsure starts were what made it fun, new and exciting. Exploring each other’s bodies for the first time like they were, only added to the thrilling delectably unhurried new experience.And a bloody fabulous way to spend a Monday morning, if she did say so herself.

 

****

Steve wasn’t sure when he’d lost the inhibition he had held with him since he ‘woke up’ to find everything, and everyone he knew in the world to be something else entirely. But he had, somewhere along the way, he had stopped fearing being arrested for looking a little too long at an attractive man, at even acting on being hit on by one, kissing in public wasn’t something he was going to prison for any longer - it was as if the whole world had gone to hell in a handbasket, but there was this one shining light, he was free to be himself. His whole self. So why had he then spent all that time hiding it still? From his teammates, from the people who attempted to be his friend?

Some fears, he realised couldn’t be quashed by a super serum. 

But maybe, with TJ and Hayes, he could start those baby steps. 

Or rather, great big giant steps - as he was in bed with both of them, simultaneously, and it was all just fine and dandy?

For all of his self-restraint, Steve’s facade of confidence fades fast as they grasp at each other’s clothes, as TJ  straddled his waist, his hands breathlessly fumbling with the zips and buttons as if Steve’s body was on fire and he was trying to put it out, and maybe in a way, he was. Looking from TJ busying himself undressing them both, to a blushing bed headed Hayes, her pupils blown, enjoying the show in front of her. He wanted to reach out for her, and he did, bringing her in for a kiss. He loved how she kissed. With her whole soul.

“You okay there, T?” Hayes smirked, through soft kisses as she knelt on the bed. He was concentrating, the tip of his tongue between his teeth as he undid Steve’s fly. 

“He’s living out his childhood fantasy right now, I doubt he even hears me?” she laughed, moving to ruffle his hair, before TJ moved and kissed Steve again, simulatiously grabbing Hayes by the neck and slowly guiding her in for a kiss when he broke with Steve.

“I hear you.” he growled and oh, Steve could get used to that.

“Good.” Hayes answered before yanking her top up over her head, showing off her beautiful breasts in the process.

STeve was sure his brain had short circited, only to be made worse when suddenly, as if all at once TJ’s mouth was on him and his toes curled. He had trailed kisses from Steve’s collarbone ,chest, leaving soft wet kisses in the dips and hollows of Steve’s abs. When he got entirely naked? Steve had no idea, but there they were, both of them in just their socks, which made Hayes laugh before she slipped out of her pajama bottoms elegantly as anything. But then, TJ had just swallowed him whole! And all thoughts of anything other than the throat muscles contracting around his cock went right out the fucking window. “ Jesus Fuck.” He tried to  breathe, looking to Hayes for help almost, she just shrugged, and moved to kiss him as TJ still continued to - “Oh…  _ God _ .”

“He’s better at this than I am,” she added between nibbles of his lips. His brain was dying but his body was singing, and they had only just begun. With TJ expertly, sucking, licking and moaning around him until Steve was sure he was about to pass out over stimulation, he sensed Hayes at his back, and sure enough there she was, pressing her naked breasts - that he longed to touch to caress, press against his back, trailing her hands, ghosting them, down his arms, down his spine, making him shiver, until she reached his ass, and she gave it a little squeeze with a giggle. He looked back, as much as he could, attempting to hold TJ’s head, softly in place if only to ground them both to the moment, run his fingers softly though his hair, as a reminder that he was paying attention there too, that what TJ was so, so, so very appreciated. He looked back at Hayes as she stood on her tippy toes to whisper quietly, seductively, in his ear.

“We’re going to fuck you now Steve, are you okay with that?” 

He was so VERY okay with that.

********

Staring into the darkness of the room, Steve was clutching her close to his chest, as TJ tucked himself in perfectly to her back, his leg draped over her, his toes stroking Steve’s calf as he sighed happily. His gaze was filled with tenderness as he looked at her; things were left unsaid; things she knew might ruin the moment. She turned her head to  TJ’s and he opened his hand, cupping her cheek gently. Her eyes fluttered shut and a happy sigh left filling the silence around them, never having felt as relaxed and as stated as she did in those moments.

Her mother always did say that no one man could handle her, maybe this is what the universe intended for for her then, two.

Unfortunately as it were, reality and life outside of htat bedroom did still exist, and when her cell started buzzing from the living room she knew it was time to return. 

“Hello?”

“Sister of mine, where the fuck have you been?” her brother asked, not unkindly. 

“Busy, actually being not busy,” she looked back into the room and saw Steve shift and snuggle into TJ, she smiled. “What’s wrong?”

“Mother wants a family meeting -”

“What did I do now?” She asked on instinct causing him to laugh. 

“Nothing, she just feels this is the only way she can get us all together. Dinner, her place in the city, Friday night at eight, please be there, don’t leave me to face it alone.” She wouldn’t. 

“Ok fine, you okay?”

“Great as always. I met a guy, actually.” 

She wanted to say she’d met two, because well, she was always the little over achiever wasn’t she?

“This one married?”

“Ouch. Bitch. Goodbye, and no.”

He hung up but before she could even put the phone down he had snapped her a picture of his new guy. 

He was cute, she decided, but hers were cuter.

 

Showered and half dressed with three types of bed hair, a half an hour later, they sat at TJ’s table, eating various left overs from the fridge. Steve helping himself to two giant slices of cold pizza, TJ to some ice-cream, and Hayes to a yogurt. All of them wearing rather smug expressions on their faces.

“Well, that was really the most fun monday I’ve had in a real long time.” Steve commented causing both of them to smile and agree, TJ then standing up.

“Speaking of which, I really am going to be late.” 

Steve’s brows crunched. So Hayes filled him in.

“TJ has a meeting at five,” she nodded into her half finished greek honey. 

“Ah, yeah those are hell.” Steve added, before TJ rounded from his seat to kiss him on the cheek, before leaning in and doing the same to Hayes. 

“You guys kick back here if you can, I’ll bring back real food.”

“Pizza  _ is  _ real food.” Steve argued half heartedly. 

“Something with vegetables.” TJ added, rolling his eyes playfully before strolling up the stairs to the main part of the apartment. 

A few minutes later they heard the front door close, and it was weird, for a few seconds she argued with herself, it was just them alone now, and would the dynamic be different without TJ?

It turns out she had nothing to worry about as he scooted closer to her at the table as he unlocked his phone. 

“Wanna see something funny?”

“Always!”

There was a photo of Tony napping with what looked like a bag of cheetos on his chest, Steve smiled.

“You’re really thrilled they don’t know you know how to do that, aren’t you?” 

“So. Thrilled, heh, ” he enunciated with a chuckle before putting his phone away. “So this meeting TJ had to go to, does he usually start work so late on a Monday?” 

She smiled softly, moving to lift his empty plate, and her own empty container. 

“Not that kind of meeting.” she offered, hoping that TJ had at least broached the topic of his recovery with Steve, if not, it seemed unfair to let him jump into something like this without knowing. Steve didn’t twig.

“You do know that TJ has had a … past with substances right?”

The light lit in his eyes, “Oh! Right, shit, yeah. I didn’t realise…”

“It’s on going, he’s a good egg, but sometimes he gets in hot water.” she liked  her metaphor for him, making her smile. “But yes, he works hard at keeping his shit together …” she on the other hand, didn’t.  “But it’s something you should be talking to him about I don’t know -” 

“No, it’s completely fine, thank you for telling me though.” he smiled softly walking over to her, pinning her to the kitchen counter with his whole body, leaning in for a kiss. 

Why couldn’t all her mornings run into afternoons like this, she thought.

“Let’s go back to bed?” He asked quietly, before kissing down her jawline, to her neck. And like hell she was going to refuse that!

&&&&&&&&&&

 

Steve would like to post a memo that no matter how skilled Hayes boasted TJ to be at certain  _ activities _ , that she herself was no slouch. 

He might have died and went to heaven? 

He wasn’t sure he deserved any of it, but he was for sure drinking it all in. Her mouth was as skilled at sexual favours as it was in making him laugh and he desperately wanted her to know that. As they snuggled in under the quilt, after he was sure she’d come for a second time with him alone, he held her close as she told him of her job woes. 

“All of that, the wins, the people I helped ...everything, and they still look at me and say I got where I was because of my father’s connections.” she never denied her name helped, and she acknowledged her privilege more than most he knew, and yet it was obvious it stung. She moved then, and straddled him with a smile.

“But fuck ‘em is what I say, and if they have a problem with me, they can just add it to the list I’ll never read.” 

He reached out and once again caressed her breasts, before leaning up to kiss her.

“Absofuckinglutely.”

Before he could go any further, his phone on the bed stand started to buzz.

She picked it up.

“Who is Asshole Jr?”

Steve laughed.

“Tony.”

“As in Stark?”

He nodded as it continued to buzz. 

“Wanna mess with him?” She asked, and of course he did. Tony messed enough with Steve on a daily basis - from the name calling to the patronizing nature of every conversation about the current century.

“Go for it.”

She smiled and hit the button.

“Steve Rogers’ Phone?” She answered in a very polite telephone voice, one that was distinctly southern dialect. Steve had trouble holding in a laugh. He could hear Tony, confused on the other end.

“Uh … yeah put Steve on the phone please.”

“I’m sorry may I ask who’s callin’?” 

“It’s Tony.”

“Tony???” She added, running her free hand to Steve’s nipple and pinching. 

“Tony STARK.”

“Tony ...Stank. Ok got it.”

“STARK, S - T … you know what just put Steve on the phone.”

“Steve can’t come to the phone right now.” she answered as sweet pie.

“Oh,” a grumpy Tony responded, “And why is that?”

She grew serious then.

“Because, he’s about to come, in me. So you’re just going to have to call back later. Okay, toodles.” 

Steve’s stomach hurt from holding in the laughter, and as soon as she hit the button to turn the phone off completely - least he call back right away - he let loose. Grabbing her and pulling her close, as they both laughed themselves silly.

“He’s gonna be so mad, he won’t have any idea what that was, because -”

“Because you’re a virginal old man?” Steve nodded, and she petted his hair, then his face, fondly.

“Let him stew then, he’s an ass.”

“You know him?”

She hummed.

“A few run ins over the years, my parents are BIG fans of his money.” she rolled her eyes. “His condescending nature bugs me, and from what I can tell, you too.”

“He’s … he tries, I see that he does. He means well, and he really DOES want to help people… it’s just -”

“Just?”

“He has what the young ones call ‘daddy issues’ these days, and he directs them all at me because I guess I’m the last tangible thing that is connected to his father.”

“Wow…”

“I read a lot of books, he’s not wrong on that part.” he added, with a slight pinking of his cheeks. She petted him again, he was growing very fond of this, he had to admit.

“Well, maybe we leave Tony Stark and his Daddy issues for another day, huh? TJ will be back soon with food, so let’s get in here cleaned up.” 

She was serious, but he didn’t want to move, and so he whined.

“Oh no, you don’t get to do that.”

“But why -” he sounded out, still whining. 

“Because, when it’s all nice and clean, we can take real pride in fucking it up again!” she winked as she sauntered, naked, to the bathroom.

“Starting with a shower, come on Cap!”

Yeah okay, he could do that. He could definitely do that.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I've added a little Ko-fi page and I'm supporting other creators I love! You can too! https://ko-fi.com/Q5Q6BWA6


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